Brucella suis infections in collared peccaries in Venezuela

A bacteriologic and serologic study was conducted on two ranches in the states of Apure and Guarico, Venezuela for brucellosis in collared peccaries (Tayassu tajacu). One hundred thirty-nine peccaries were necropsied and tissues were cultured. Forty-three isolations of Brucella suis biovar 1, were made from lymph nodes and spleens of 25 males and 18 females. Antibody to Brucella sp. was detected in sera from 122 animals by the rapid plate agglutination, standard tube agglutination, 2-mer-captoethanol, rivanol, complement fixation and card tests. Young animals had infection and reactor rates nearly as high as the older animals indicating most were infected at a relative early age. Results suggest that this species may transmit brucellosis when living with domestic animals. This is the first report of B. suis biovar 1 from collared peccaries in Venezuela.