Brucellosis--cause of abortion in sheep and its public health significance.

ABSTRACT

Present study was undertaken to determine the association of brucellosis with abortions occurring naturally in sheep at an organized local sheep breeding farm. A total of 15 strains of Brucella melitensis biovar I were isolated from the abortion material. Serologically the aborted ewes were positive for brucellosis by one or more tests. During acute infection (abortion), standard tube agglutination test (SAT) detected more positive reactors (70.7%) while counter immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) detected more positive reactors (33.9%) in chronic infection (in-contact and apparently healthy sheep). Personnel handling the abortion material at the farm were found positive clinically as well as serologically for brucellosis. These observations suggest the zoonotic importance of brucellosis.