BRUCELLA-OVIS INFECTION IN 2 FLOCKS OF SHEEP

Brucella ovis infection could not be eradicated from two flocks of she ep despite serologically testing and culling the infected rams for fou r years. The hypothesis that the ewes played a major role in the maint enance of the infection in both flocks was investigated by using serol ogical, bacteriological and pathological criteria. Specific antibodies against B ovis were demonstrated in 71 ewes in the two flocks. Forty- four of the seropositive ewes were slaughtered for bacteriological and pathological studies and B ovis was isolated from 16 of them; the ute rus was the target organ of the infection, although extrauterine infec tion was also demonstrated in some of the infected ewes.