Soroepidemiologia da leptospirose e brucelose bovina em propriedades rurais de agricultura familiar do agreste paraibano, Nordeste do Brasil Seroepidemiology of bovine leptospirosis and brucellosis in family farm rural properties in the State of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil

The aim of this investigation was to determine the frequency of positive herds and seropositive animals to bovine leptospirosis and brucellosis in family farm rural properties from the mesoregion of the State of Paraiba, as well as to identify risk factors. Blood samples were collected from 771 animals from 130 herds in five municipalities. For the serological diagnosis of leptospirosis, the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) using 24 Leptospira spp. serovars as antigens was carried out, and for brucellosis the Rose-Bengal Test (RBT) was used as screening test and the 2-mercaptoethanol test (2-ME) to confirm. For leptospirosis, the frequency of positive herds and seropositive animals was 18.4 and 3.6%, respectively; for brucellosis, 7.7% of the herds and 1.9% of the animals were positive. The most frequent Leptospira spp. serovar was Hardjo. Bovine purchase was identified as a risk factor to bovine brucellosis (odds ratio = 5.25; p = 0.044). The need for adoption and/or intensification of control and prevention measures was suggested in order to avoid economic losses and the transmission of the agents to humans, as well as the purchase of animals with known sanitary conditions.