RESUMO
Brucellosis is a widespread zoonotic disease of veterinary and public health importance with considerably higher prevalence in developing/underdeveloped countries. This study reports the prevalence and risk determinants of brucellosis in small ruminants of peri-urban and rural areas of district Multan, Southern Punjab, Pakistan. For this purpose, sera samples (n = 392) of small ruminants were collected and subjected to preliminary screening using commercially available RBPT reagents followed by serodetection of brucellosis using multispecies i-ELISA kit (ID.vet, France). All the ELISA positive samples were confirmed by PCR using genus-specific primers, and frequencies of Brucella species in positive samples were enumerated using species-specific primers. Results indicated seropositivity rates of 9.69, 9.95, and 10.20% in study population using RBPT reagents of IDEXX-USA, ID.Vet-France, and VRI-Pakistan, respectively, with a statistically nonsignificant difference (p > 0.05). Results of ELISA showed an overall seroprevalence rate of 7.14% in target population with a slightly higher rate in sheep (7.65%) as compared to goat (6.63%) population (p = 0.695; OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.53, 2.57). Results revealed that out of total positive samples, B. abortus was detected in 60.71% of seropositive samples and B. melitensis was detected in 14.28% of positive samples. It was revealed that risk factors including body condition scores, hygienic conditions of the housing facility, farming system, reproductive disorders, educational status of farmers, and awareness of farmers about brucellosis had significant association with brucellosis in small ruminants of study area (p < 0.05). Conversely, farm/herd size, locality, gender, age, weight, and parity showed a nonsignificant association (p > 0.05) with brucellosis. In conclusion, brucellosis is prevalent in small ruminants of Multan, Pakistan. It is recommended to devise and implement effective control strategies with a major focus on raising awareness about brucellosis in farmers for the containment of infection in the region.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To determine physiologic levels of tear production in Arabian (AH) and throughbred horses (TH) by using phenol red thread test (PRT). ANIMALS STUDIED: The study was performed on 16 AH and 14 TH, ranging from 2.5 to 24 years of age, housed in a stable situated in the Sanliurfa of Turkey. PROCEDURES: For the measurement of PRT, the strip was placed under the lower eyelid approximately one-third the distance from the temporal to nasal canthus and left for 15 s. The length of the wet area was measured in mm and compared among breed, sex, and age groups and between eyes of both sides. RESULTS: The mean length of the wet area was in AH and TH were 30.22 +/- 0.99 mm ranging from 16 to 41 and 31.00 +/- 1.4 mm ranging from 14 to 47, respectively. There were no significant differences in tear production among breed, sex, or age groups. The values measured for left eyes were significantly higher than those for right eyes (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Phenol red thread test measurement is easily used, with no pain, and a comfortable method. PRT can be used in equine ophthalmology on a routine basis to the measurement of tear production. These normal PRT values help diagnosis keratoconjunctivitis sicca in horses.