Brucella abortus Detection by Indirect Competitive ELISA and Rose-bengal tests in Stray Dogs of Some Rural Areas in Wasit, Al-Qadisiyah and Dhi-Qar Provinces - Iraq

Objective: The aims of this study were to detect the presence of specific antibodies against B. abortus in stray dogs of some rural areas in Wasit, Al-Qadisiyah and Dhi-Qar provinces by using two serological tests (Rose-Bengal and indirect competitive ELISA) for first time in Iraq, as well as to compare between both used tests according to the diagnostic performance and to the studied provinces, and providing an additional data about the disease in studied regions. Methods: Two effective serological tests (rose-bengal test and indirect competitive ELISA) were applied to detect an existence of specific IgG antibodies against B. abortus in some rural areas of three Iraqi provinces (Wasit, Al-Qadisiyah and Dhi-Qar). Results: The study reported (28.89%) and (39.26%) as a total infection rate by rose-bengal and ELISA test, respectively. According to studied areas, the seropositive infection rates by rose-bengal and ELISA tests in (Wasit, Al-Qadisiyah and Dhi-Qar provinces) were (31.25% and 45.83%), (38.71% and 54.84%); and (21.43% and 25%), respectively. The significant differences were reported between and within every examined province at level (P˂0.05). Conclusion: This study was pioneered in detection of IgG antibodies against B. abortus in Iraqi stray dogs through transaction with rose-bengal test and an indirect competitive ELISA that consider as the test of a gold standard. As well as, although the study supplied more accurate outcomes, it's encouraged to extent in search in other areas and for reliance on other reliable and advanced methods in diagnosis.