FREQÜÊNCIA DE AGLUTININAS ANTI-Brucella abortus EM CAPRINOS E OVINOS DO SERTÃO DO ESTADO DE PERNAMBUCO, BRASIL

The objective was to investigate the frequency of anti-Brucella abortus agglutinins in goats and sheep of the backlands of the State of Pernambuco, Brazil. 700 samples of sanguine serums were processed, of which 340 were of the goat (115 males and 225 females) and 360 (136 males and 224 females) sheep. The technique of the Tamponed Acidified Antigen (AAT) dyed with Bengalese Rose (BR) was used. Of the 340 samples of goat evaluated two (0.6%) were reactive to AAT. Significant associations were not observed for the variable age group (p = 0.430); race (p = 0.936) and sex (p = 0.562). Of the 360 sheep samples, nine (2.5%) were reactive. There also was no significant association between the analyzed variables and the seropositiveness for brucellosis: age group (p = 0.522); race (p = 0.576) and sex (p = 0.461). Significant association was observed (p = 0.042) among the studied species and seropositiveness for brucellosis in the investigated animals. The seropositiveness for Brucella abortus in goats and sheep was traced for the first time in the “Sertao” (dry interior region, backlands) of Pernambuco, fact that can hinder the success of the National Program of Control and Erradication of Brucellosis, due to the fact that it is common to raise small ruminants with bovines in this area, besides representing risks to Public Health. KEY WORDS: Brucellosis, ovines, caprines, small ruminants, serodiagnosis.