Robles C A, Uzal F A, Olaechea F V, Low C
National Institute for Agricultural Technology (INTA), Bariloche, Argentina.
Vet Res Commun. 1998 Nov;22(7):435-43. doi: 10.1023/a:1006158514414.
Brucellosis in sheep, caused by Brucella ovis, is primarily a chronic infectious disease of rams with epididymitis as its most characteristic lesion. Six hundred rams from an infected farm were clinically and serologically examined once a year, over a 3-year period. An increase from 2.1% to 6.3% in the prevalence of animals serologically positive to B. ovis occurred over the 3 years. However, the prevalence of rams with lesions in the reproductive tract declined from 14.2% to 6.5% in the third year following one year of strict culling of clinically affected and rams that were serologically positive for B. ovis. Clinical lesions found in the 179 affected rams fell into two main categories: rams with epididymitis and rams with affected lymph nodes. These results suggest that the prevalence of the disease relates mainly to the sexual activity of the animal and not to age in itself. A single cull based on the results of clinical examination and serological test results was unable to decrease the prevalence of B. ovis in an extensive Corriedale sheep flock.
由绵羊布鲁氏菌引起的绵羊布鲁氏菌病主要是公羊的一种慢性传染病，附睾炎是其最典型的病变。在3年时间里，每年对一个受感染农场的600只公羊进行临床和血清学检查。在这3年中，血清学检测对绵羊布鲁氏菌呈阳性的动物患病率从2.1%上升到了6.3%。然而，在对临床患病和血清学检测对绵羊布鲁氏菌呈阳性的公羊进行一年严格扑杀后的第三年，生殖道有病变的公羊患病率从14.2%下降到了6.5%。在179只患病公羊身上发现的临床病变主要分为两类：患附睾炎的公羊和淋巴结受影响的公羊。这些结果表明，该病的患病率主要与动物的性活动有关，而与年龄本身无关。基于临床检查和血清学检测结果进行的单次扑杀无法降低大面积考力代羊群中绵羊布鲁氏菌的患病率。
