Zoonotic brucellosis: Seroprevalence and different serological tests comparison in ovine and caprine population in district Quetta, Balochistan

The present study was design to determine the seroprevalence of zoonotic brucellosis and different serological tests comparison in ovine and caprine population in district Quetta, Balochistan. A total of 500 blood samples, comprising of 250 each from sheep and goat were randomly collected from out skirts of District Quetta, Balochistan. Out of the 250 blood samples 125 were collected from each males and females. The serum samples were tested for the presence of anti-Brucella antibodies by Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT), Serum Plate Agglutination Test (SPAT) and Serum Tube Agglutination Test (STAT). The overall prevalence of brucellosis in sheep was recorded as 16.4%, 13.2% and 10.8% by RBPT, SPAT and STAT, respectively and in goat was found to be 11.6%, 8.8% and 6.8% by RBPT, SPAT and STAT, respectively. The sex-wise prevalence of brucellosis in Ram (male sheep) was recorded as 12.8%, 8.8% and 7.2% by RBPT, SPAT and STAT, respectively; while in Ewe (female sheep) it was 20.0%, 17.6% and 14.4% by RBPT, SPAT and STAT respectively. In Buck (male goat), the seroprevalence of brucellosis was recorded 8.0%, 5.6% and 3.2%, whereas in Dew (female goat) it was 15.2%, 12.0% and 10.4% by RBPT, SPAT and STAT, respectively. The prevalence of brucellosis was relatively higher in ovine (sheep) as compared to caprine (goat), irrespective of techniques used. It was also concluded that brucellosis was higher in females than in males in both sheep and goat. Among all the serological tests applied in the present study, RBPT was found to be more sensitive and showed higher prevalence of brucellosis in sheep as well as in goat population.