SEROPREVALENCE OF BRUCELLA MELITENSIS INFECTION IN

GOATS AROUND CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU.

Maher Sulima, K.S. Venkataraman*

Department of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine
Madras Veterinary College,
Chennai – 600 007.

Brucellosis, a widespread zoonotic disease, is caused by Brucella melitensis in goats.

The disease has much significance because of its transmission to animal owners and consumers, through

either direct contact with infected animals or consumption of contaminated milk (Abeer, et al., 2003).

Caprine Brucellosis due to B.melitensis is widespread in India and is the major cause of abortion in goats

(Das et al., 1961; Ghosh and Verma, 1985). Absence of any information on the prevalence of brucellosis

in goats in Tamil Nadu has emphasized the need for the present investigation.

Materials and Methods

This study was conducted in different areas around Chennai city viz. Kancheepuram,

Virapuram Tiruvallur, Chengelput, Madurapakkam, Kattuppakkum, and the Madras Veterinary College

Hospital.A total 181 goats (Non Descripts) with the history and clinical symptoms of abortion, still

birth, repeat breeding, and pyrexia were screened for B.melitensis antibodies using serological tests viz.

rose bengal test (RBT), standard tube agglutination test (STAT) and indirect- enzyme linked

immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA).

Rose Bengal Test (RBT)

The RBT antigen was obtained from Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar. The

rose bengal test was performed as described by OIE (2000).

________________________________________________________________________________

* Professor
Standard Tube Agglutination Test (STAT)

Brucella melitensis tube antigen was obtained from the Institute of Veterinary Preventive

Medicine, Ranipet. The STAT using B.melitensis tube antigen was performed as per the methods

described by Alton et al., (1988).

Serum titres of 80 IU or above were considered to be positive, 40 IU as doubtful and less

than 40 IU as negative (Alton et al., 1988).

Indirect- Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (i-ELISA)

The i-ELISA was performed as described by Brucella antibody test kit (VMRD, Inc.,

USA). Samples producing a sample / positive control (SP) Ratio of < 25 were negative. Samples with SP

ratios of ≥ 25 were positive.

Results and Discussion

In the present study the overall prevalence of B.melitensis infection in goats as tested by

RBT, STAT and i-ELISA was 17.68%, 16.02% and 24.86% respectively (Table 1). Area prevalence by

RBT, STAT and i-ELISA in Kancheepuram was 3.57%, none and 7.14% respectively, in Viraupram was

16.66%, 8.33% and 20.83% respectively, in Tiruvallur was 14.28%, 14.28% and 19.05% respectively, in

Chengelput was 23.68%, 16.31% and 31.58% respectively, in Madurapakam was 17.65%, 11.76% and

41.18% respectively, in Madras Veterinary College Hospital was 38.71%, 38.71% and 48.39%,

respectively. It is interesting to note that none of the samples collected in organized farm- Livestock

Research Station, Kattuppakkum were positive by any of these tests (Table 2).

In Karnataka, Desai et al., (1995) reported a prevalence of 7.6% in goats by ELISA. Singh

et al., (2000) observed a high prevalence of 24% in goats. Kumar et al., (1997) in their prevalence

studies also reported 16% and 30% in goats in Punjab and Rajasthan, respectively. Also, the prevalence
 of B.melitensis infection in various states of India was found to be different and varied from one place to

another (Renukaradhya et al., 2002; Gupta et al., 2003).

When compared with these studies, the detection of B.melitensis infection in goats by

i-ELISA was moderately high (24.86%) around Chennai. Further, in the present study also, the

prevalence varied from one area to another vastly and these findings concurred with earlier studies.

On the whole i-ELISA was able to detect more seropositivity to B.melitensis infection in

goats (24.86%) as also reported by Renukaradhya et al., (2002).

Table 1
Overall prevalence of Brucella melitensis infection by RBT, STAT and i-ELISA in goats
Test No. tested No. Positive % positive
RBT 181 32 17.68
STAT 181 29 16.02
i-ELISA 181 45 24.86

Table 2
Area- wise prevalence of B. melitensis infection by RBT, STAT, i-ELISA in goats

No. of RBT Prevalence STAT Prevalence i-ELISA Prevalence

Area samples Positive % positive % positive %
tested
Kancheepuram 28 1 3.57 - - 2 7.14
Viraupram 24 4 16.66 2 8.33 5 20.83
Triuvallur 21 3 14.28 3 14.28 4 19.05
Chengelput 38 9 23.68 10 16.31 12 31.58
Madurapakam 17 3 17.65 2 11.76 7 41.18
MVC 31 12 38.71 12 38.71 15 48.39
Hospital
Livestock
Research 22 - - - - - -
Station
Kattuppakkum
Total 181 32 17.68 29 16.02 45 24.86

Summary
 A total of 181 goats around Chennai city were screened for Brucella melitensis infection by

employing the rose bengal test (RBT), standard tube agglutination test (STAT) and indirect enzyme

linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA). The overall prevalence by RBT, STAT and i-ELISA was

found to be 17.68%, 16.02% and 24.86%, respectively. RBT was able to detect B.melitensis infection

more than the STAT. Whereas the i-ELISA was found to be highly sensitive in the detection Brucella

melitensis antibodies in goats. The prevalence of B.melitensis infection was found to be different and

varied from one area to another area.

Acknowledgement

The authors are thankful to the Dean, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai-7 for the

facilities provided during the research work.

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