Perfil soroepidemiológico da linfadenite caseosa em caprinos no Ceará, Brasil

Abstract

The present work is the first seroepidemiological study on caseous lymphadenitis in goat herds in the state of Ceará, Brazil. Serum samples were collected from 3239 goats from 127 rural properties from 29 municipals districts in 1997. In each property was applied a questionnaire comprehending information about the management and the animals. The seroprevalence was established in the results of an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that detects anti-bodies against Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. Prevalence values were calculated using the software WinEpiscope®2.0 and 26,2% of the goats tested positive for caseous lymphadenitis and 82,7% of flocks presented at least one seropositive animal. The influence of the different variables on the seroprevalence of CL was evaluated using Pearsons ² method with software SPSS®15.0. Goats managed under milk production system had a significantly higher seroprevalence of CL and the use of eartags or tattoos to identify the animals is important in the transmission of the disease. The high seroprevalence of CL in the properties incapacitate the analysis of risk factors.