ORIGINAL PAPER Seroepidemiological investigation of brucellosis in sheep abortions in Kars, Turkey Ozgur Celebi & H. Ibrahim Atabay Accepted: 28 March 2008 / Published online: 20 April 2008 # Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2008 Abstract This study was undertaken to investigate the seroprevalence of brucellosis in unvaccinated sheep from the flocks having previous abortion cases in Kars and around, Turkey and to compare the efficacy of each serological test used. Four hundred serum samples collected from 16 different flocks of sheep having a history of abortions in Kars and its surrounding area in Turkey were examined for the presence of antibodies raised against Brucella using Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT), Serum Agglutination Test (SAT), Rivanol Agglutination Test (RAT) and Complement Fixation Test (CFT). All animals were unvaccinated against Brucella. Of the serum samples tested, 147 (%36.7), 142 (%35.5), 139 (%34.75) and 135 (%33.75) were found positive by SAT, RAT, RBPT and CFT, respectively. No statistically signif- icant difference was found between the serological tests used (p>0.05). It is concluded from this study that brucellosis continues to be an important problem for ovine abortions and poses a risk both for human and other animals in this area. Therefore, adequate intervention measures should be implemented to control and eradicate brucellosis. In addition, if conventional serological tests are used at least two tests, RPBT for screening and CFT for the confirma- tion of the positive samples are preferable, should be used in parallel for detection of brucellosis effectively. Keywords Brucellosis . Serological tests . CFT . SAT . RBPT . RAT Introduction Brucellosis is a zoonotic infection that can be transmitted from infected animals and/or via their products such as milk and dairy products to humans (Arda et al. 1997). Brucella spp. cause reproductive system disorders such as abortion and infertility in various animals including sheep (Alton et al. 1988). It also causes serious infections in humans. Although brucellosis is now eradicated in most developed countries it is still an important problem in some part of the world (Iyisan et al. 2000; Benkirane 2006). Due to its significance both for public and animal health and its economic consequences, it is important to take necessary steps to control and eradicate brucellosis from endemic areas (Minas 2006). Brucella melitensis is an important etiological agent of brucellosis in ovine abortions (Arda et al. 1997; Minas 2006). Conventional isolation of the bacterial species is required for the definitive diagno- sis of brucellosis and is taken as the ‘Gold Standard’. Trop Anim Health Prod (2009) 41:115–119 DOI 10.1007/s11250-008-9165-y This study was summarized from M.Sc. thesis of Ozgur CELEBI. O. Celebi : H. I. Atabay (*) Department of Microbiology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Kafkas, Kars, Turkey e-mail: hiatabay@hotmail.com