Brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis in dairy farms in the state of Acre, Brazil

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the to evaluate the occurrence rate of bovine brucellosis and tuberculosis in dairy herds of Acre State, Brazil. The survey was performed on 487 lactating cows distributed across 27 farms in seven cities from June 2018 to February 2019. Farms were selected according to the following criteria: volume of milk production (150 L/day), distance to an urban perimeter (43 km), and time of dairy activity (12 years). For the diagnosis of brucellosis, buffered acidified plate antigen (BAPA) and complement fixation (CF) tests were used. Among the investigated animals, the occurrence rates for brucellosis and tuberculosis were 1.88% (9/487) and 1.23% (6/487), respectively; among the investigated farms, 11.11% (3/27) and 22.2% (6/27) had livestock diagnosed as positive for brucellosis and tuberculosis, respectively. The farms with tuberculosis-positive cattle possessed some common features with respect to herd size. These farms had considerable herd sizes, which were reared extensively in pastures shared with other susceptible or pathogen-carrying animals. In conclusion, the occurrence rate of bovine brucellosis and tuberculosis in dairy herds from Acre state is, in general, lower than that observed in other states of Brazil. Nevertheless, there is an urgent need for developing strategies to control and eradicate both diseases to prevent eventual outbreaks and pathogen dissemination.