Infectious diseases and aetiological agents related to female reproductive systems were extensively covered compared to its male counterpart. There needs a proper study to bridge this gap, where microflora and infectious agents of both male and female reproductive are mutually intelligible. With this study, we aimed to evaluate the microbial contamination of the preputial cavity and also screened for abortion-causing agents which are zoonotic as well. In goats, such types of abortions are caused by Brucella melitensis, Chlamydophila, Campylobacter and Coxiella etc. One of the major sources of contamination of semen is the preputial cavity, which is exposed to the external environment leading to spread of infection into the female via semen straws or by natural service. In the current study, good quality bucks (n = 32, Barbari = 12, Jamunapari = 10, Jakhrana = 10) which were routinely used for semen collection were screened for their preputial swabs, for the presence of the above pathogens. For detection of Brucella melitensis, OMP31 based TaqMan® probe realtime PCR assay was used, and for Chlamydia, 16srRNA gene based SYBR® green real-time PCR assay was employed for detection of Chlamydophila abortus. While for Campylobacter spp. and Coxiella burnetii, 16srRNA gene based conventional PCR and Trans-PCR were used, respectively. In the current study, of the screened preputial swabs, none of them showed positive for Brucella and Coxiella, but of the screened 32 samples 17 showed positive for Chlamydia (53.13%) and two (6.25%) showed positive for Campylobacter spp. The current study emphasizes on the farms and laboratories which were regularly involved in screening of brucellosis also often overlook the other potential non-brucella pathogens, causing abortions eventually incurring severe economic losses to the goat keepers.

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Cross reactivity of three antigens of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis with sera of sheep endemic for Johne's disease was evaluated. Out of 40 sheep tested by fecal microscopy, 72.5% were shedding MAP. Using protoplasmic antigens (PPA) from three MAP strains isolated from different livestock species and geographical regions, 90, 77.5 and 2.5% sheep were positive in goat (Indigenous g-ELISA) and cattle (b-ELISA) based ELISA kits and ELISA kit for small ruminant (sr-ELISA), respectively. Only 2.5 and 10% sheep were positive and negative in all the four tests. Native species specific (goat origin novel 'Indian Bison Type' MAP) semi-purified whole cell PPA based ELISA (Indigenous g-ELISA) was superior in reacting with sera of native sheep than the commercial PPA of bovine origin (Allied Monitor Inc., USA) and commercial ELISA kit for small ruminants (ID Vet, France). Lower cross reactivity of antigens originated from US and France emphasized the need to develop tests based on local strain of MAP than strains from different livestock species and geographical regions. This is an important finding against the use of 'Global kits' without validating in local conditions. Study showed that kits developed from local strains of MAP were not only superior but also cost effective and will significantly contribute in programs for the control of JD in native sheep population.

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