Inquérito soroepidemiológico da brucelose bovina no estado da Paraíba.

Abstract

This thesis includes a literature review that adresses epidemiological aspects of the bovine brucellosis in Brazil and its economic and public health impacts and initiatives to control the disease, as well as two scientific articles aiming to characterize the cattle raising and the epidemiological status of bovine brucellosis in the State of Paraíba. The State was divided in three regions (1- Sertão Paraibano, 2- Borborema e 3- Agreste / Mata Paraibana). Herds were randomly sampled in each region and a pre-established number of animals were sampled in each of these herds. A total of 3,489 serum samples from 674 herds were collected. In each herd, it was applied an epidemiological questionnaire focused on herd traits as well as husbandry and sanitary practices that could be associated with the risk of infection. The serum samples were screened for antibodies against Brucella spp. by the Rose-Bengal Test (RBT), and all positive sera were confirmed by the 2-mercaptoethanol test (2-ME). The herd was considered positive if at least one animal was positive in both RBT and 2-ME tests. The prevalence of infected herds and animals in the State were, respectively, 4.6% [3.2% - 6.5%] and 2.0% [1,1% - 3.9%]. The prevalence of infected herds and animals in the regions were, respectively: region 1, 3.2% [1.5% - 6.6%] and 1.7% [0.5% - 5.7%]; region 2, 2.2% [0.9% - 5.2%] and 0.7% [0.3% - 1.7%]; and region 3, 7.9% [5.0% - 12.2%] and 3.2% [1.6% - 6.3%]. The risk factor (odds ratio, OR) associated with the presence of the infection was Zebuine the predominant breed (OR = 12.30 [1.32 – 114.64]). In the characterization of the cattle raising it was found that most farms in Paraíba State are family or subsistence farms, predominantly mixed production, semi-intensive farming, with utilization of hand milking and natural mating, without use of milk cooling, low number of lactating cows and daily milk production. It were found differences and similarities among production regions so that it is suggested that such aspects must be taking into account in livestock development public policy planning, as well as in the implementation of disease control strategies.