SEROPREVALENCE OF EQUINE BRUCELLOSIS: FIRST REPORT IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

Despite the endemicity of brucellosis, there is no report on the equine brucellosis in Bangladesh. The Rose Bengal Test (RBT) was used to determine the seroprevalence of Brucella antibodies amongst 112 horses from different areas of Bangladesh. The overall seroprevalence of equine brucellosis was 1.79%.The prevalence recorded in Ghatail area was 3.45% and there was no positive reactor in Shakipur and Savar areas. Sex wise prevalence showed that the prevalence was 3.08%in female and 0.00% in male horse. Only the adult (>3 years of old) horses showed the positive RBT reaction (2.35%), whereas young (<3 years of old) horses did not showed positive RBT reaction. The present study reports the first serological prevalence of Brucella infection in horses in Bangladesh. There is need for the inclusion of horses in brucellosis surveillance and control strategies in Bangladesh to safeguard people from high risk.