Milk Indirect-ELISA and Milk Ring Test for
Screening of Brucellosis in Buffaloes, Goats and Bulk Tank Milk
Samples Collected from Two Districts of Punjab, Pakistan
Tayyaba Israr Khan1,
Syed Ehtisham-ul-Haque1*, Usman Waheed1,
Iahtasham Khan2, Muhammad Younus3 and Shahzad
Ali4
1Department
of Pathobiology (Microbiology section); 2Department of
Clinical Sciences (Epidemiology and Public Health section); 3Department
of Pathobiology (Pathology section), College of Veterinary and
Animal Sciences, Jhang, Pakistan; 4Department of Wild
Life and Ecology (Zoological Section), University of Veterinary and
Animal Sciences (Ravi Campus) Pattoki;
*Corresponding author: ehtishamsyed@uvas.edu.pk
Abstract
Bovine and caprine
brucellosis caused by Brucella abortus
and Brucella melitensis, are serious
zoonotic problem. In this study, the prevalence and risk factors of brucellosis
were studied at herd level in two Districts of Punjab. A total of 300 milk
samples from buffaloes, goats and bulk tank milk (BTM) were analyzed through
milk ring test (MRT), and through a commercially available Milk Indirect ELISA (i-ELISA)
kit detecting both B. abortus and
B. melitensis antibodies. Higher
prevalence was found in goats (76%) followed by BTM samples (42%) and buffalo
samples (15%) as tested though Milk i-ELISA. Diagnostic sensitivity (DSe) and
specificity (DSp) of MRT was evaluated considering Milk i-ELISA as gold standard
test for diagnosis of B. abortus and
B. melitensis infection. DSe and DSp
of MRT for buffalo milk samples was found as 78.9% and 100% respectively. While
for goat samples DSe and DSp of MRT was found as 51.7% and 100% respectively. It
is concluded that, MRT is less effective for diagnosis of Brucella antibodies in
goat milk as compared to buffalo. Adult age, self-reared animals and larger herd
size were found as potential risk factors for the spread of brucellosis in both
goat and buffalo. Whereas, use of natural insemination method was found as a
risk factor in goat population only and artificial insemination in buffalo only.
With the advent of corporate dairy sector in the Pakistan, it is highly
recommended that routine Brucella screening should be done using Milk i-ELISA on
pooled milk samples.
To Cite This Article: Khan TI, Ehtisham-ul-Haque S, Waheed U, Khan I, Younus
M and Ali S, 2018. Milk indirect-ELISA and milk ring test for screening of
brucellosis in buffaloes, goats and bulk tank milk samples collected from two
districts of Punjab, Pakistan. Pak Vet J, 38(1): 105-108.
http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2018.021