Ovine Epididymitis



  • Ovine epididymitis
    • Caused by Brucella ovis|B. ovis
    • Epididymitis in rams and placentitis in ewes
    • Reduced fertility in rams, sporadic abortion and peinatal mortality
    • Venereal transmission
    • Long latent period in rams following infection (present in semen 5 weeks after infection)
    • Premating checks on rams - serological tests and scrotal palpation
    • Testicular atrophy and swollen epididymis in chronically-infected rams
    • Agar gel immunodiffusion test, complement fixation test and indirect ELISA
    • Vaccination of young rams with B. melitensis vaccine or B. ovis bacterin