BACTERIOLOGICAL AND SEROLOGICAL STUDIES OF BRUCELLOSIS IN SHEEP AND GOATS IN A RESEARCH FARM IN ZARIA, NIGERIA
BACTERIOLOGICAL AND SEROLOGICAL STUDIES OF BRUCELLOSIS IN SHEEP AND GOATS IN A RESEARCH FARM IN ZARIA, NIGERIA
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Date
2013-01
Authors
BALA, Sylvester Reuben
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Abstract
This study was aimed at detecting the presence of Brucella organisms and the
prevalence of Brucella antibodies in sheep and goats in a Research Farm in Zaria,
Nigeria. A total of 580 blood samples (265 from goats and 315 from sheep) were
examined for culture and serology. Blood samples with anticoagulants were cultured
while serological tests such as; Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT), Serum agglutination
test (SAT) and 2-Mercaptoethanol (2-ME) test were performed on sera collected.
Brucella abortus antigens for RBPT and SAT from Veterinary Laboratories
Agency, Weybridge, UK were used. There were no growth of Brucellae from blood
cultures. Rose Bengal plate test detected antibodies to Brucella organism in 33.58%
(89/265) of the goats and 33.65% (106/315) in sheep while SAT detected antibodies
to Brucella organism in 25.66% (68/265) of goats and 6.35% (20/315) of the sheep
and there was significant association between the presence of Brucella antibodies in
goats and sheep using SAT (P<0.05). RBPT detected antibodies to Brucella in
33.62% (195/580) of all goats and sheep sampled while SAT detected antibodies in
15.17% (88/580) of all the goats and sheep sampled, there was significant
association between the use of RBPT and SAT in detection of antibodies in the
goats and sheep (P<0.05). The results of RBPT showed that females had a higher
seroprevalence of 36.49% than males (22.22%) in goats and there was significant
association between the presence of antibodies to Brucella in female and male goats
as detected by RBPT (P<0.05) while a similar result was recorded in sheep where
females had a higher seroprevalence of 34.03% than males (32.47%), though there
was no significant association (P>0.05). The results of SAT in goats showed higher
antibodies to Brucella organism in males (29.63%) than females (24.64%), while in
sheep, males also had a higher seroprevalence of 9.09% than females (5.46%).
There was no significant association between the presence of Brucella antibodies in
male and female goats and sheep using SAT (P>0.05). The 2-ME test revealed that
15.17% of animals had IgM. In conclusion, this study has established serological
evidence of Brucella infection in sheep and goats in the Research Farm studied
though the organism could not be isolated from blood. It is therefore recommended
that attempts should be made to isolate Brucella from other samples like milk,
vaginal secretions and semen from animals on the farm, new animals should be
screened for brucellosis before introduction into the farm. Moreso, handlers of
animals in the farm should be educated on the zoonotic implications of brucellosis.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD
OF THE MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN VETERINARY
MICROBIOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY MICROBIOLOGY, FACULTY OF
VETERINARY MEDICINE, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA,
NIGERIA
JANUARY, 2013
Keywords
BACTERIOLOGICAL,, SEROLOGICAL,, STUDIES,, BRUCELLOSIS,, SHEEP,, GOATS,, RESEARCH,, FARM,, ZARIA,, NIGERIA