Glanders and brucellosis in equids from the Amazon region, Brazil

Acta Trop. 2022 Mar 25:106429. doi: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106429. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTGlanders and brucellosis are zoonotic infectious diseases that affect equids in several countries worldwide. On Marajó Island (Amazon region of Brazil), Marajoara and Puruca horses, which are well adapted to the climatic and territorial adversities of the region, play a fundamental role in the local economy and in the sociocultural lives of the population. However, these animals have undergone a drastic reduction in number, markedly due to precarious veterinary care, unknown causes of morbidity and mortality, and disordered crossing with other breeds introduced to the island. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the occurrence of glanders and brucellosis in equids on a property located in the municipality of Soure, Marajó Island (Brazil). Serum samples were collected from 388 animals (357 horses and 31 mules), maintained in an extensive breeding system, in a property that was also extensively breeding buffaloes, goats, and sheep, with contact among species. The sera were tested for glanders using an indirect ELISA (ELISAi), and the results were confirmed by immunoblotting. The diagnosis of brucellosis was made using the Rose Bengal test (RBT) and confirmed through the Serum Agglutination test (SAT) and 2-mercaptoethanol test. In the case of glanders, 2.31% (9/388) of animals were positive in ELISAi test, of which eight had results confirmed by immunoblotting, representing 2...
Source: Acta Tropica - Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Source Type: research