OMPARISON OF VARIOUS SEROLOGICAL mILK’ TESTS FOR ‘CREENING OF OVINE BRUCELLOSIS

total of 689 milk samples, collected from ewes different stages of lactation, was examined bac-nologically and serologically for detection of ‘ucclla infection among sheep flocks. Bacterio-gical examination was carried out using the or- inary isolation and identification methods for ‘ucella organisms. Serological examination was sed upon three tests specific for milk, namely, bortus Bang Ring Test (ABRT), Whey Aggluti-ition Test (WAT), and Whey Antiglobulin Coomb's” Test (WCT). Comparative evaluation I the different employed methods indicated that* ABRT and WGT were of similar sensitivity4 both tests were more specific than the WAT.
* Melitensis biotypes 2 and 3 were recovered om the milk Samples in percentages of 0.29% 82.16% respectively.
Besides economical losses due to bruccllosisamong our livestock, B. melitensis is a dangerous public health hazard. The organism is transmissi-ble to man either by direct contact and managc-ment of infected animals especially shccp or through milk or milk products originated from in-fected animals. This results in a severe discasc condition in the affected persons which is known as undulant fever. Detection of brucella-infected lactating ewes is of utmost importance for better protection of human population. ABRT and WAT have been reported as routine scrological tests to identify brucella-infected animals (7,8). In morc recent years, complement fixation test (CFT), and Coomb’s test (WGT) were added to the list as supplemental methods, both on scrum and whcy samples of different animal specics (I, 5, 12).However, it has been reported, by several authors,that the ABRT is not as reliable as CFT and otherserological tests for laboratory diagnosis of bru-cellosis in) sheep as in cattle (4.9.12). According to the available literature, no information was milk for diagnosisof brucella infection. this work was carried to evaluate the efficacy of different serological tests of milk samples, simulatanesuly with bacteriological examination, in the laboratory diagnosis of ovine brucellosis.