Seroprevalence of brucellosis in different age groups of sheep and goats

A total of 231 sheep and 181 goats with the history and clinical symptoms of abortions, still births, repeat breeding and pyrexia were screened for B.melitensis antibodies using serological tests viz. rose bengal test (RBT), standard tube agglutination test (STAT) and i-ELISA. The overall prevalence of B.melitensis infection in sheep tested by RBT, STAT and i-ELISA was 13.85%, 9.96% and 20.35%, respectively and in goats was 17.68%, 16.02% and 24.86% respectively. Seroprevalence of brucellosis was highest in goats of 23 years (35.3%) age group followed by 1–2 years (19.6%) and more than 3 years (18.4%) age group, and in sheep, it was highest in 2–3 years (27.9%) age group followed by more than 3 years (19.2%) and less in 1–2 years (14.2%) age group. The study reveled that the prevalence varied from one age group to another vastly.