Estudo sorológico da brucelose equina em Araguaína-TO

Abstract

Brucellosis is an important zoonosis caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella spp. In horses this disease is triggered mainly by Brucella abortus, which can cause lesions in the cervical region, withers, bursae, tendons, and joints. As this condition has less economic importance in horses, when compared to cattle, it has been neglected and few studies have been developed involving the species. This scenario is worrying, since these animals can be hosts and serve as a source of infection, characterizing risks to public health, particularly considering that these animals are widely used in sports or work activities. In Araguaína, no studies have been developed to determine the participation of horses as a reservoir of the disease and to verify its distribution in the city. Thus, the aim of the current study was to determine the seroprevalence of Brucella abortus in horses from the city of Araguaína, Tocantins. In total, 388 horses were used in the study, 236 males and 152 females, of different breeds and from different regions in the municipality of Araguaína, Tocantins. For diagnosis, Buffered Acidified Antigen (BAA) tests were used and for the reagents in this test, the 2- mercaptoethanol test (2-ME) was performed. A total of 17 (4.38%) animals were reactive in the BAA and, of these, 14 were non-reactive and 3 were inconclusive in the 2-ME. From the results obtained, it is possible to conclude that the animals tested were negative for infection by B. abortus; care and prevention measures are essential to maintain this state; the association of screening and confirmatory serological testsare of fundamental importance for the diagnosis of equine brucellosis; and, finally, the control and eradication plan for bovine Brucellosis in the city, through vaccination and inspection, has reduced the incidence of the disease, since most animals cohabited with cattle and other animal species, which could reflect on the positivity of the animals studied