Isolation and molecular detection of the most significant fungi and their mycotoxins genes from infected Chickens in Iraq's Wasit Governorate

Fungi cause economic losses to the poultry industry either due to their direct infectious nature or due to the production of mycotoxins. The aim of the study is to isolate the most important fungi that cause mycotoxin secretion.One hundred samples were collected from poultry farms in Wasit Governorate, Iraq. The samples were taken from 70 sick broiler chickens and 30 newly dead (liver, lung and air sacsfrom each bird) after clinical examination and post-mortem examination. The results of the present study showed the isolation and identification of (26) isolates as Aspergillus spp. It was observed that the most frequent mold isolates were Asperigellius spp. specifically Aspergillus flavus at a percentage of 8 (8%) followed by 5 (5%) for A.fumigatus and A.terrus while 4(4%) for A.niger and 3(3%) for A.parasiticus and1(1%) for other Aspergillus spp. Also showed the prevalence of mold isolates from different sites of poultry farms as it showed the highest incidence in lung and air sac with 19 (19%) and 15 (15%), respectively followed by liver with 5 (5%).In this study to investigate Gliotoxin gene was detected 4/5 (8%) in A.fumigatus, with PCR product of this gene was approximately 512 bp, While it was observed aflatoxin (aflR) gene was found 8/8 (%100) in A.flavus, with PCR product of this gene was approximately 588bp. In ours study lipase gene was detected by PCR in 5/5 (100%) samples of A. terreus. The PCR amplification of lipase gene was approximately 591bp.Conclusions, It has been concluded that the most common isolate was A.flavusand amplifying the ITS1 region of all Aspergillus isolates by PCR and the virulence gene responsible for mycotoxins such as gliotoxin and aflatoxin was revealed.