Epizootiological, clinical and pathological characteristics of sheep flocks infected with BRUCELLA OVIS in the Republic Of Serbia

Abstract

This paper describes a study on Brucella ovis infection of sheep flocks in southern Serbia. Using serological testing, positive reactions were confirmed in 67 (29.8%) and suspicion in 31 (13.8%) out of the total 225 tested sheep sera samples. Rams originated from 113 flocks with 4751 sheep from 28 settlements in the Pirot region of southern Serbia. Pathological changes indicative of Brucella ovis infection were confirmed by macroscopic examination in the testes of 7 (58.3%) out of 12 examined rams. In 7 (58.7%) animals, unilateral epididymitis with pronounced hypertrophy of the tail, body and head of epididymis was confirmed. Using bacteriological and molecular techniques, the presence of B. ovis was confirmed in the samples (testes, epididymis, lymph nodes) in 11 (91.7%) out of 12 rams. The clinical manifestation of ovine epididymitis arose following the procurement of rams and mating season. The disease was more pronounced in flocks in which it occurred for the first time. On the basis of the results presented here, it can be concluded that B. ovis infection causes substantial economic losses in sheep production, and is manifested in reduced conception (24.85%), miscarriages (5.38%), reduced number of lambs (0.74 lambs per ewe) and increased perinatal mortality (7.78%).