Brucellosis is a cosmopolitan infectious disease with a health and economic impact, both for
animal production and public health. Cattle are reservoirs of the causative agent, Brucella
abortus, which can directly or indirectly infect humans and other animals, and are therefore
characterized as zoonosis. The objective of this study was to determine the level of brucellosis
infection in cattle slaughtered in northern Tocantins, between October and November 2019
and the occurrence of post mortem changes suggestive of brucellosis in the carcasses. 3,122
serum samples were collected from animals slaughtered in establishments under the State and
Federal Inspection regime in the municipality of Araguaína, Tocantins. The Buffered
Acidified Antigen (AAT) and confirmation 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) screening test was
carried out as recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA).
Of the totality of samples collected, 2,871 were considered in this study. Samples from
females under 24 months of age or from other regions of the state of Tocantins were
eliminated. Of the samples evaluated, 37.31% (1,071 / 2,871) were reactive in the AAT test,
of these 26.14% (280 / 1,071) were also positive in the 2-ME test; which represents 9.75%
(280 / 2,871) of the total evaluated. The prevalence in males was 4.91% (141 / 2,871) and in
females it was 4.84% (139 / 2,871). As this study evaluated animals in a refrigerator, the
higher prevalence of positive females may be related to the disposal of animals with
reproductive problems in the state's cattle industry. No anatomopathological alterations of
cervical bursitis or arthritis suggestive of brucellosis were observed in any of the carcasses of
animals sampled in the present study. Considering official results from the state of Tocantins
and previous studies, it was possible to observe that the level of infection in animals
slaughtered in the north of the state remains within the confidence interval. Even with a
positivity index below 10%, actions to promote animal health and, in this case, public health,
need to be improved in the region, generating a reduction in the health risk of workers directly
linked to animals and consumers of products of origin. animal.
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