ABSTRACT
Analyzing data and samples collected at abattoirs in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, the present study provided a profile of the tuberculosis condemned bovine and characterized their herds. From May/2002 to January/2004, tuberculosis lesions from 587 animals were sampled in 79 abattoirs, and from these samples a total of 253 Mycobacterium bovis isolates were obtained. The herds of these animals were tracked down and an epidemiological questionnaire was applied. A dataset about the condemned carcasses was attached to each sample. The data analyses showed that bovine tuberculosis in São Paulo state is concentrated in dairy herds with some sophistication of the production system and mostly affects dairy cows of European breeds older than 36 months. Moreover, the owners of infected herds sell animals without testing them for tuberculosis, contributing to the spread of the disease.
KEY WORDS
Bovine tuberculosis; abattoirs; animal profile; herd profile; São Paulo state; Brazil
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