An epidemiological study was carried out in order to characterize the bovine tuberculosis situation and to support the planning and implementation of the National Program for the Control and Eradication of Bovine Tuberculosis in the State of Bahia, owing to the importance of the disease in causing economic burdens and its impact on public health. The State was divided into four regions. In each region, properties were randomly chosen and, a pre-established number of animals was also randomly selected; these animals then subjected to the intradermal comparative cervical tuberculin diagnostic test. Animals with inconclusive test results were retested with the same diagnostic procedure within a minimum interval of 60 days. Within each sampled property, a questionnaire was administered to verify possible risk factors for the disease. In the State, the prevalence of infected herds was 1.6% [1.0-2.6] and that of infected animals 0,21% [0,07; 0,60]. In the regions, the prevalence of infected herds and infected animals were, respectively, 2,0% [1,0; 4,2%] and 2,0% [1,0; 4,2%] In conclusion, it is recommended that the State of Bahia implement a surveillance system for the detection of herds with bovine tuberculosis to certifying them in free herds, with special attention to dairy properties, and develop a solid program of health education so that producers test animals for bovine tuberculosis before introducing them into their herds. para caracterizar a situação da enfermidade no estado. O Estado foi estratificado em quatro regiões. Em cada região, propriedades foram sorteadas aleatoriamente e, dentro dessas, escolheu-se de forma também aleatória um número pré-estabelecido de animais, os quais foram submetidos ao teste tuberculínico Cervical Comparativo. Os animais que resultaram inconclusivos foram retestados com o mesmo procedimento diagnóstico em intervalo mínimo de 60 dias. Em cada propriedade amostrada aplicou-se um questionário para se verificar possíveis fatores de risco para a doença. No Estado, a prevalência de focos foi de 1,6% [1,0; 2,6%] e a de animais 0,21% [0,07; 0,60]. Nas regiões, as prevalências de focos e de animais foram, respectivamente de 2,0% [1,0; 4,2%] e 0,08% [0,035; 0,17] (OR= 9,72), ser propriedade mista (OR= 6,66) e tamanho do rebanho ≥ 18 fêmeas ≥ 24 meses (OR= 8,44). Concluindo, recomenda-se que o Estado da Bahia implemente um sistema de vigilância para detecção e saneamento dos focos de tuberculose bovina, com especial atenção para as propriedades produtoras de leite, e que desenvolva uma sólida ação de educação sanitária para que seus produtores passem a testar os animais para tuberculose bovina antes de introduzi-los em seus plantéis. Palavras-chave: Tuberculose bovina. Prevalência. Fatores de risco. Bahia. Brasil.

A cross sectional study was carried out between May and November 2011 to investigate the epidemiological situation of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The state was divided into seven regions. Three hundred farms from each region, with reproductive activity, were randomly chosen and included as primary sample units. A fixed number of bovine females, older than 2 years of age, were randomly selected and tested, using the comparative cervical tuberculin test. An epidemiological questionnaire based survey was conducted in the selected farms. Our results show that in the state of São Paulo, the apparent prevalence of positive farms was 9% (95% confidence interval, 95% CI = 7.8 -10.5%). The prevalence in the individual regions varied between 3.5% (95% CI = 1.7 -6.8%) and 13.9% (95% CI = 10.2 -18.8%). The apparent prevalence of positive animals in the state was 1.3% (95% CI = 0.9 -1.7%) and varied from 0.3% (95% CI = 0.2 -0.6%) to 2.5% (95% CI = 1.4 -4.5%) in the regions. The risk factors associated with tuberculosis in the state were (i) number of adult females in a herd is ≥ 24 (Odds ratio, OR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.32 -2.75), (ii) type of farm enterprise (dairy: OR = 2.70, 95% CI = 1.40 -5.21; mixed: OR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.08 -3.82), (iii) milking process (milking parlor: OR = 4.12, 95% CI = 1.46 -11.64; portable milking machine: OR = 2.94, 95% CI = 1.42 -6.09), and (iv) pasture sharing (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.07 -2.33). The state of São Paulo should implement a structured surveillance system to detect and mitigate the disease. Further, an efficient animal health education program, which encourages the farmers to test replacement animals for bTB prior to introduction in their herds and to avoid pasture sharing with farms of unknown sanitary conditions should also be implemented. ResumoUm estudo transversal foi realizado entre maio e novembro de 2011 para determinar a situação epidemiológica da tuberculose bovina (bTB) no estado de São Paulo, Brasil. O estado foi dividido em sete regiões. Trezentas propriedades com atividade reprodutiva de bovinos de cada região foram aleatoriamente selecionadas e consideradas unidades primárias de amostragem. Um número fixo de fêmeas bovinas com idade superior a dois anos foram aleatoriamente selecionadas e testadas usando o teste cervical comparativo. Um inquérito epidemiológico, utilizando um questionário específico, foi realizado em cada propriedade selecionada. Os nossos resultados indicam que no estado de São Paulo, a prevalência aparente de propriedades positiva foi de 9% (intervalo de confiança de 95%, IC95% = 7,8 -10,5%). A prevalência nas diferentes regiões variou entre 3,5% (IC95% = 1,7 -6,8%) e 13,9% (IC95% = 10,2 -18,8%). A prevalência aparente de animais positivos no estado foi 1,3% (IC95% = 0,9 -1,7%) e variou de 0,3% (IC95% = 0,2 -0,6%) até 2,5% (IC95% = 1,4 -4,5%) nas regiões. Os fatores de risco associados à tuberculose no estado foram (i) número de fêmeas adultas nos rebanhos ≥ 24 (Odds ratio, OR = 1,91, IC95% = 1,32 -2,75), (ii) tip...

The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence and regional spread of bovine tuberculosis in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, to identify herd-level risk factors, and to provide guidance for disease control and mitigation of its impact in public health. The study comprised a large-scale random sample survey of 22,990 animals and 1586 herds, distributed in seven regions. A questionnaire was applied on each farm to collect epidemiological and herd management data. Overall, 5.04 % of herds and 0.81 % of animals were positive for bovine tuberculosis. The highest herd prevalence was found in Alto Paranaíba, an expanding dairy region. The more technologically advanced dairy herds showed a prevalence ratio of 2.83 compared to others and are obvious candidates for risk-based surveillance and herd accreditation schemes. Small farms cannot be left out of disease control efforts because they are the vast majority of herds, albeit with lower individual risk. With regard to public health, there is widespread practice of producing homemade fresh cheese with raw milk and of slaughtering culled cows in places without sanitary inspection. This poses a risk to consumers and limits the efficacy of surveillance at slaughter.

A cross-sectional study was carried out, between May and November 2011, to estimate the situation of the bovine brucellosis in São Paulo State, 10 years after the commencement of the vaccination of the heifers with the S19 strain. The State was divided into seven regions and in each of them, 300 farms with reproductive activity were randomly chosen and considered as primary sample units. A fixed number of cows was randomly selected and tested for antibodies against Brucella spp. A farm was considered infected if at least one female tested positive. In the selected farms, an epidemiological questionnaire was administered which focused on herd traits as well as husbandry and sanitary practices that could be associated with the risk of infection. The prevalence (percentile, [95% confidence interval]) of infected herds was 10.2% [8.8-11.8] [1.7-7.1] in the regions, not showing significant difference between regions. Again, there was no difference in the prevalence of positive animals after 10 years of the vaccination program. The risk factors (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval) associated with bovine brucellosis in the State included number of cows ≥ 24 (3.08, 2.22-4.27) and the acquisition of breeding animals (1.33, 0.95-1.87). The São Paulo State should conduct systematic vaccination coverage of above 80% of the eligible heifers with the S19 strain vaccine annually. Moreover, the State should emphatically use RB51 strain vaccine in females above 8 months of age not vaccinated with S19 strain vaccine. An efficient animal health education program to orientate farmers to test replacement animals for brucellosis prior to introduction in their herds should also be implemented. ResumoUm estudo transversal foi realizado entre maio e novembro de 2011 para estimar a situação da brucelose bovina no estado de São Paulo, 10 anos após o início do programa de vacinação de fêmeas bovinas com a vacina B19. O Estado foi dividido em sete regiões e em cada uma delas, 300 propriedades com atividade reprodutiva foram aleatoriamente selecionadas e consideradas unidades primárias de amostragem. Um número fixo de vacas foi selecionado aleatoriamente e testado para anticorpos antiBrucella spp. Uma propriedade foi considerada infectada se ao menos uma vaca resultou positiva. Nas propriedades selecionadas, um questionário epidemiológico foi aplicado, focando a caracterização do rebanho e as práticas de manejo e sanitárias que pudessem estar associadas com o risco de infecção. A prevalência (percentual, [intervalo de confiança de 95%]) dos rebanhos infectados foi 10,2% [8,[8][9][10][11]8] para o Estado e, para as regiões, variou de 7,3% [4,7-11,2] a 12,3% [8,[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]8], não apresentando diferença significativa entre as diferentes regiões. A prevalência aparente de propriedades positivas no Estado e regiões permaneceu similar à prevalência observada há 10 anos. A prevalência de fêmeas positivas foi 2,4% [1,1] no Estado e variou de 1,1% [0,6-2] a 3,5% [1,7-7,1] nas regiões, não apresentando diferenças s...

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