O objetivo do presente trabalho foi isolar e tipificar micro-organismos presentes em linfonodos hipertrofiados ou lesões macroscópicas sugestivas de tuberculose colhidos de 12 caprinos e 28 ovinos abatidos no matadouro público do município de Patos, Paraíba. A identificação de micobactérias foi feita com o método PRA (PCR-Restriction Enzyme Analysis). Também foi realizado o exame histopatológico das lesões. Os órgãos afetados foram fígado, pulmão, glândula mamária, bexiga e linfonodos mediastínicos, mesentéricos, submandibulares, parotídeos, poplíteos, pré-crural, pré-escapular e inguinal superficial. O exame histopatológico apontou a presença de granulomas em 8 (20,00%) animais. Dos 12 caprinos, 1 (8,33%) foi positivo no cultivo de micobactérias, e pelo método PRA o isolado foi classificado como pertencente ao complexo M. tuberculosis. Dois (7,14%) ovinos foram positivos para a presença de micobactérias ambientais. Houve isolamento de Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis em 8 (66,66%) caprinos e em 17 (60,71%) ovinos, e isolamento simultâneo de micobactérias e C. pseudotuberculosis em 1 (8,33%) caprino e 1 (3,57%) ovino. O isolamento de micobactéria do complexo M. tuberculosis em caprinos no presente trabalho levanta preocupações do ponto de vista de saúde pública, uma vez que profissionais envolvidos na manipulação destes animais, bem como a população consumidora de carne e leite, estão expostos ao risco de infecção.

The aim of this work was to isolate and characterize microorganisms in hypertrophied lymph nodes or gross lesions suggestive of tuberculosis collected from 12 goats and 28 sheep slaughtered at the public slaughterhouse of Patos municipality, Paraíba State, in the Northeast region of Brazil. The identification of mycobacteria was performed by the PRA method (PCR-Restriction Enzyme Analysis). Histopathological examination of lesions was also performed. Organs affected were liver, lung, mammary gland, bladder and mediastinal, mesenteric, submandibular, parotid, popliteal, precrural, prescapular and superficial inguinal lymph nodes. Histopathological examination showed the presence of granulomas in 8 (20.00%) animals. Of the 12 goats, 1 (8.33%) was positive in the culture of mycobacteria, and by PRA method the isolate was classified as belonging to the M. tuberculosis complex. Two (7.14%) sheep were positive for the presence of environmental mycobacteria. There was isolation of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis in 8 (66.66%) goats and 17 (60.71%) sheep, and simultaneous isolation of mycobacteria and C. pseudotuberculosis in 1 (8.33%) goat and 1 (3.57%) sheep. The isolation of mycobacteria of the M. tuberculosis complex in goats in this study raises concerns of public health, as professionals involved in handling these animals and the meat and milk consumers are exposed to the risk of infection.

To determine the presence of Brucella ovis in ovine from Paraíba State, in the Northeast region of Brazil, 80 animals slaughtered in the public slaughterhouse of Patos city were used. Before slaughter, blood samples were collected by jugular venopuncture from each animal, and after slaughter, testicles, epidydimus and uterus were aseptically collected. For the serological diagnosis of B. ovis and B. abortus infections, the agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) and Rose Bengal (RBT) tests were carried out, respectively. In addition, microbiological culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were performed on testicle, epidydimus and uterus samples. Six animals (7.5%) tested positive for the presence of B. ovis antibodies and all animals tested negative for the presence of B. abortus antibodies. One AGID-positive animal tested positive at uterine swab culture. PCR was able to amplify DNA of Brucella spp. from the pool of testicle, epidydimus and uterus samples from AGID-positive animals. This is the first report of isolation and detection of B. ovis DNA by PCR in ovine from the Northeast region of Brazil.

As micobacterioses suínas são responsáveis por condenações de carcaças em abatedouro e uma das melhores formas de se conhecer os agentes envolvidos nos animais vivos é o isolamento a partir das fezes, pois em 94% das vezes, as lesões localizam-se no trato digestivo. Assim sendo, o presente estudo teve por objetivo comparar o desempenho de quatro métodos de descontaminação com semeadura em três diferentes meios de cultura, totalizando doze procedimentos na pesquisa de micobactérias a partir de amostras de fezes de suínos contaminadas experimentalmente. Amostras de fezes de suínos foram contaminadas artificialmente com 0,02g de Mycobacterium avium, estirpe de PIG-B, e submetidas à tentativa de isolamento de micobactérias, utilizando-se os seguintes protocolos de descontaminação: 1) Petroff modificado ou método básico; 2) Lowenstein-Jensen modificado ou método ácido; 3) Petroff modificado ou método básico e ressuspensão com anfotericina B; 4) Lowenstein-Jensen modificado ou método ácido e ressuspensão com anfotericina B; com subseqüente semeadura em meios de Petragnani, Lowenstein-Jensen e Lowenstein-Jensen com antibióticos (Penicilina G e Ácido nalidíxico). Houve diferença entre os percentuais de recuperação de micobactérias a partir das fezes de suínos (p<0,05) e o método ácido com ressuspensão em solução de anfotericina B e semeadura em meio de Lowenstein-Jensen com antibióticos apresentou os melhores resultados (87% de recuperação de micobactérias).

Swine mycobacteriosis is an important cause of carcass condemnation at abattoirs. One of the best ways to recognize the etiologic agent involved, in live animals, is the fecal isolation, as 94% of the lesions are located in the digestive tract. Therefore, the goal of the present study was to compare the performance of four decontamination methods followed by inoculation in three different culture media, totalizing twelve procedures of mycobacteria search from swine fecal samples experimentally contaminated. The swine feces were artificially contaminated with 0.02 g of Mycobacterium avium, PIG-B strain, and subjected to mycobacteria isolation trial. The protocols used were: 1) modified Petroff or basic method; 2) modified Lowenstein-Jensen or acidic method; 3) modified Petroff or basic method with re-suspension in Amphotericin B; 4) modified Lowenstein-Jensen or acid method with re-suspension in Amphotericin B, followed by inoculation in Petragnani, Lowenstein-Jensen and Lowenstein-Jensen medium with antibiotics (Penicillin G and Nalidixic acid). There was a difference (p<0.05) between the mycobacterial recovery percentages from swine feces. The acid method with re-suspension in Amphotericin B solution and inoculation in Lowenstein-Jensen medium with antibiotics showed the best results (87% of mycobacteria recovery).