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- Title
RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH HAIR SHEEP BRUCELLOSIS IN AN INTENSIVE SYSTEM.
- Authors
Marin, Victor; Mellado, Miguel; Díaz-Aparicio, Efrén; Arellano-Reynoso, Beatriz; Carrillo, Evaristo
- Abstract
Data from 303 hair sheep kept in confinement in a hot desert environment were used to determine the incidence and some risk factors for Brucella seropositivity in hair sheep in northern Mexico. Serums were tested for antibodies to B. melitensis by the standard agglutination card test (3% cell concentration); B. ovis was tested by the double agar gel immuno diffusion test (AGID). Incidence was 7.26 % (95 % confidence interval, 4.6 to 10.8) for B. melitensis and 1.98 % for B. ovis (95 % confidence interval, 0.7 to 4.3). All ewes seropositive for B. ovis were also seropositive to B. melitensis. Logistic regressions were used for the evaluation of some risk factors for Brucella seropositivity. Body condition score, thoracic circumference, height to withers and height/thoracic circumference were not associated with seropositivity to Brucella. On the other hand, crossbred ewes (Dorper x Pelibuey) were 2.31 times more likely (10.4% vs. 4.8%; P=0.06) to be seropositive to Brucella compared with Dorper and Pelibuey ewes. The incidence of seropositive animals decreased markedly in Dorper ewes than in Pelibuey and crossbred combined (1.1 % vs 6 %; P = 0.02). The finding that Dorper ewes present a lower incidence of seropositive animals to Brucella compared with Pelibuey and crossbred ewes is novel. These results also highlight the fact that Brucella melitensis represents an important hazard for intensive sheep operations, which contradicts the earlier perception that brucellosis was only prevalent in traditional pastoral sheep flocks.
- Subjects
BRUCELLOSIS; HAIR sheep; DISEASE incidence; REGRESSION analysis; AGGLUTINATION tests; DORPER sheep; SHEEP
- Publication
Veterinarija ir Zootechnika, 2015, Vol 69, Issue 91, p48
- ISSN
1392-2130
- Publication type
Article