title: High sero-prevalence of caseous lymphadenitis identified in slaughterhouse samples as a consequence of deficiencies in sheep farm management in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Caseous lymphadenitis (CLA), caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, is one of the most important diseases of sheep and goats, causing considerable economic losses for herd owners.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We assessed the seroprevalence of infection with C. pseudotuberculosis in 805 sheep from 23 sheep farms that supply slaughterhouses in the state of Minas Gerais; we also analyzed management practices that could be associated with CLA occurrence, used on these and nearby farms that also supplied animals to the slaughterhouse (n = 60). The serum samples for assaying CLA infection were taken at the slaughterhouse. Frequency of infection with C. pseudotuberculosis was estimated at 43.7%, and farm frequency was estimated at 100%. Management practices were analyzed through a questionnaire. All farmers (60/60) had extensive/semi-extensive rearing system; 70.0% (42/60) identified sheep individually; 11.7% (7/60) had periodical technical assistance; 41.7% (25/60) disinfected the facilities; 86.7% (52/60) used barbed wire fences and did not implement adequate CLA control measures; only 11.7% (7/60) of breeders reported vaccination against C. pseudotuberculosis; 13.3% (8/60) took note of animals with clinical signs of CLA; 1.7% (1/60) opened and sanitized abscesses, and isolated the infected animals; 10.0% (6/60) knew the zoonotic potential of this disease and 1.7% (1/60) of the farmers culled animals in case of recurrence of abscesses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It can be concluded that C. pseudotuberculosis infection is widely spread in sheep flocks in Minas Gerais state in Brazil and that there is a lack of good management measures and vaccination, allowing transmission of this infectious agent throughout the production network.
authors: Nucleo de Saúde Animal e Microbiologia do Leite, Embrapa Gado de Leite, Rua Eugênio do Nascimento, 610, Juiz de Fora, Postal Code 36038-330, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors: Alessandro S
authors: AS
authors: Guimarães
authors: Filipe B
authors: FB
authors: Carmo
authors: Marcos B
authors: MB
authors: Heinemann
authors: Ricardo W D
authors: RW
authors: Portela
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Meyer
authors: Andrey P
authors: AP
authors: Lage
authors: Núbia
authors: N
authors: Seyffert
authors: Anderson
authors: A
authors: Miyoshi
authors: Vasco
authors: V
authors: Azevedo
authors: Aurora M G
authors: AM
authors: Gouveia
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000592:standards*; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003354:Corynebacterium Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D008199:Lymphadenitis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial