doi:10.5455/vetworld.2013.530-533 Seroprevalence of brucellosis in sheep of organized and unorganized sector of Kashmir valley

Aim: A seroprevalence study of brucellosis in sheep was conducted from April 2010 to April 2012 from both organized and unorganized sectors of the Kashmir valley. 
 
Materials and Methods: A total of 6615 sera samples were tested by Rose Bengal Plate test (RBPT) and Standard Tube Agglutination Test (STAT). 
 
Results: The overall seropositivity revealed 6.50 % of prevalence of brucellosis. Higher prevalence (14.14%) of brucellosis was recorded in unorganized sector as compared organized sector (3.23%).


Introduction
seasonal, reaching a peak usually after kidding and lambing [9].

Brucellosis is a bacterial zoonotic infection and is
Brucella melitensis is considered to be the most amongst the most important diseases, in terms of loss to important cause of abortion, reduced fertility, economy that affects sheep and goat population in the increased neonatal losses and leads to emergency developing countries [1,2].It is a contagious disease slaughtering of the infected animals [10].Ovine and caused by bacteria of genus Brucella.. Nine Brucella caprine brucellosis due to B.melitensis is widespread in species are currently recognized, seven of these that the country [11,12] and is considered to be the most affect terrestrial animals : B. abortus, B. melitensis, B.
important disease due to its economic impact where it suis, B. ovis, B. canis, B. neotomae, and B. microti has an adverse effect on total animal protein supplies, [3,4,5].Five out of the nine known Brucella species can and severe hazard it represents to human health [13].It infect humans and the most pathogenic and invasive has been reported in different countries in Asia species for human is B. melitensis, followed in including Pakistan [14]  above titre were considered as positive, whereas 20 IU/ml was considered as doubtful.

Results and Discussion
The study was carried out through the period from April, 2010 to April, 2012 on different Government Sera of 6615 sheep were analyzed and the sheep breeding farms and field organizations prevalence of brucellosis was recorded by RBPT and representing Kashmir valley.Though the samples from STAT.The overall prevalence of brucellosis recorded Brucella hot spots were initially received in greater in sheep was 6.50%.Similar prevalence was earlier quantity, randomization of sample was done by reported [22,23,24,25].However higher prevalence collecting samples from widely spaced villages and of brucellosis was recorded elsewhere [26,27].This from different breeders and flocks of different districts.may be due to variation in the environment, sex, age, Samples from north, south, eastern and western parts of breed and other factors.Kashmir valley were taken mostly from units In this study, the prevalence of brucellosis was established by the Department (Figure -1).As the units recorded higher (14.14%) in unorganized sector as to are widely separated and in different districts they are compared (3.23%) organized sector (Table 1 and 2).largely represent general picture though it can't be The findings are in the agreement with earlier claimed that the present study is quite exhaustive.It observation [25].The lesser incidence of the organized needs to be supplemented by further studies especially sector may be due to good and controlled managemental screening of herds, instead of only a group of animals, practices and screening of male animals for brucellosis as brucellosis is a herd problem and may be confined to before letting them for breeding.The findings of the particular pockets.The fact that the study is based on present study suggest that Brucella infection may also two year time further randomizes our sample as be present in the native sheep of the valley.To prevent unnoticed cases often result in quick horizontal spread this, regular screening of the newly introduced rams for and within two year, the flock is expected to show crossbreeding should be carried out.evidence of infections.A total of 6615 sheep serum The prevalence of brucellosis at Govt. sheep samples were randomly collected from both organized farms varied from 0.83% at Dachigham to 7.23% at and unorganized farms through out Kashmir valley.
Kewa, while as in the unorganized (field organizations) Serum samples were collected from a total of five sector the prevalence rate varied from 4.87% in district established Government breeding farms (4635) from Budgam to 19.81% in district Shopian (district organized sector having mainly crossbred population Pulwama and Kupwara were not considered as the as well as from all the eight district extension samples were less than 100).Increased prevalence in organizations (1980)   showed significant presence of brucellosis.It was appropriate diagnostic laboratories on the basis of assumed that herds from which no reports of abortions adopted standards of the OIE, bringing appropriate came in last three years were free from it but for studies veterinary legislation and animal health policies, is also a few small herds (consisting of more than 20 animals) important.Farmers need to be compensated for too were screened fully.Thus our consideration of data brucella positive animals so that cull and slaughter from fully affected herds doesn't affect our sampling policy could be implemented and significant control fairness as we took highly affected, completely achieved.There is a need for systematic control unaffected and little affected herds that had reportedly programme that should involve large scale testing, suffered a case or two of abortion in last three years.As culling, implementation of controlled breeding the source of infection is often a ram which may pick up strategies and lastly vaccination.The need for work on infection anywhere in the field and not necessarily indigenous vaccine is also strongly felt as part of long from the farms from which it is supplied, tested against term control policy.brucellosis before releasing for breeding in the field, Authors' contribution we can attribute the relatively higher percentage in All authors contributed equally in planning and certain selected districts to infected rams that have designing the study, collection of samples from field escaped detection.Absence of strict cull and slaughter and farms, analysis of samples in laboratory and policy has compelled breeders to retain infected compilation of data.All authors were involved in animals or sell to others as there is no compensation to drafting, revision and approval of the final manuscript.farmers presently available if they decide to cull infected animals.The question of pattern of prevalence doi:10.5455/vetworld.2013.530-533Agglutination Test (STAT) in sheep kept at various antigen obtained from IVRI, Izatnagar was used for the government and private farms in Kashmir valley has test.As per the guidelines, the sera from animals been described, to assess the current status of the positive by RBPT and SAT, and showing 40 IU/ml or disease in the region.

Figure- 1 .Figure- 2 .
Figure-1.Map showing brucellosis affected areas of kashmir valley of the valley.Serum samples unorganized sector is attributable to certain hot spots were tested by Rose Bengal Plate test (RBPT) and where brucellosis had affected huge percentage of Standard Tube Agglutination Test (STAT)" employing animals in the flocks screened.Amongst the standard procedures [21] (Figure-2).B. abortus plain government sponsored units in the districts only two