Ministry of Agriculture

About: Ministry of Agriculture is a government organization based out in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Chemistry & Salmonella. The organization has 1153 authors who have published 1189 publications receiving 14442 citations.

Effect of vaccination in lowering the prevalence of bovine brucellosis in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Abstract: The study was conducted to verify the efficacy of the bovine brucellosis vaccination program implemented by the state of Mato Grosso, using prevalence as an indicator. The state was divided into four regions: Pantanal, Milk, Fattening, and Breeding. For each region, a predetermined number of properties were selected and blood samples were taken from randomly chosen female animals, aged 24 months or greater. Sera from the animals were initially screened with a buffered acidified plate antigen, and confirmed using complement fixation. In each property, a questionnaire was used in order to identify the risk factors associated with the disease. In the state, the prevalence rate of infected herds was 24.0% [21.3; 26.8] and the prevalence rate of infected animals was 5.1% [3.5; 7.2]. The prevalence rates of infected herds and animals in each region were as follows: 21.2% and 6.4% in the Pantanal region, 17.2% and 3.7% in the Milk region, 34.0% and 7.2% in the Fattening region, and 24.3% and 4.4% in the Breeding region. Bovine brucellosis in the state is associated with the introduction of breeding, herd size, pasture sharing, and farms used for mixed and beef purposes. Therefore, in order to improve control of bovine brucellosis, it is proposed that the state of Mato Grosso intensify its prophylactic program, primarily its vaccination strategy. There has been a reduction in the prevalence of infected herds since 2002; however, there remains a high prevalence of infected herds and animals throughout the state. Additionally, the use of non-inducing antibodies vaccine should be encouraged, especially in the Pantanal region where the management of the animals is complicated by the flood and ebb cycle. The state should make greater efforts to educate producers on how to assess the breeding animals for brucellosis before introducing them into their properties as well as avoid shared grazing among herds of unknown health conditions.

Detection of Mycobacterium bovis in artisanal cheese in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil

Abstract: Objective/background The present study was aimed at detecting Mycobacterium bovis in artisanal cheese using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Methods One hundred seven cheese samples (250 g) were purchased in 107 commercial establishments including neighborhood grocery stores, bakeries, and open-air markets from 19 municipalities of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Ten grams of each cheese sample were macerated with sterile saline solution in a sterile bag and DNA was extracted from 20 mg of the macerated material using the Wizard SV Genomic DNA Purification System. The quantitative polymerase chain reaction amplified a fragment corresponding to the region of difference 4 of M. bovis . Results Of the 107 samples analyzed, three (2.8%) were positive for M. bovis and their identities were confirmed by sequencing. This is perhaps the first report of the presence of M. bovis in artisanal cheese in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Conclusion The results of the present study highlight the need for improving sanitary measures during the production of artisanal cheese to prevent zoonotic tuberculosis in humans, resulting from the consumption of food contaminated with M. bovis .

Geopolitical dispersion of the occurence of Fasciola hepatica in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil

Abstract: During 12 years feces samples from cows, water buffaloes, sheeps and goats were examined by sequencial tamis filtration to show the occurence of Fasciola hepatica eggs. The material came from 129 municipalities of Santa Catarina State, and 5 g of feces per animal were examined. The occurrence of F. hepatica was confirmed in 64.82% of the municipalities. Considering the host, F. hepatica was confirmed in goats from Florianopolis, Sao Jose, Sao Joao Batista and Guaramirim municipalities; in sheeps from Brusque, Pomerode, Palhoca and Sao Jose; in water buffaloes from 9 and in cows from 86 municipalities. For this study, 13,762 feces samples were examined and in 3,814 the presence of eggs of F. hepatica was demonstrated. The percentage of occurence for host species was 27.86 in cows, 24.72 in water buffaloes, 16.92 in sheeps and 15.66 in goats. By the results it was demonstrated that Itajai Valley at Southest Hidrographic Basin, in Santa Catarina State is an endemic area of F. hepatica, even though Uruguai Hidrographic Basin was not referred as a geographical record for this parasite.