Epidemiological situation of bovine tuberculosis in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil

The epidemiological situation of bovine tuberculosis was studied in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The state was divided into three regions, and a predetermined number of properties was randomly sampled in each region. In each property, females aged 24 months or older were randomly selected and subjected to the cervical comparative tuberculin test. Altogether, 5,728 animals from 906 properties were tested. In the evaluated properties, an epidemiological questionnaire was applied to identify risk factors related to bovine tuberculosis. The prevalence of infected herds and infected animals and in the state was 2.87% [1.82–4.50] and 0.62% [0.29–1.29], respectively. There was a predominance trend of infected herds in the properties located in the dry areas of Pernambuco, where most dairy properties are found. The risk factors related to the occurrence of positive herds were: presence of 18 or more cows in the herd, milking the cows two or three times a day, and sharing the grazing area. In conclusion, the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in Pernambuco is low, and the best strategy to be adopted is the implementation of a surveillance system for detection and sanitation of infected herds, preferably by incorporating risk-based surveillance strategies. In addition, the State should implement an effective sanitary program to enable producers to test their animals for bovine tuberculosis before inserting them into the herds, as well as avoid sharing the grazing areas with properties that are not free of bovine tuberculosis.