ABSTRACT
Bovine tuberculosis is an infectious disease, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, which can also occur in other mammalian hosts. The present study involved 4 adult deer (Mazama gouazoubira), 3 females and 1 male, from a conservationist farm located at Alto Paranaiba, Goias State, Brazil. They were injected with 0.1 mL of purified protein derivative of M. Avium (PPD-A) and then the same amount of M. Bovis (PPD-B), at 2 places on the neck, and the reading was taken 72 hours after the inoculation. Animals were considered as positive when the reaction to PPD-B exceeded that to PPD-A by 2 mm or more. The animals were examined and presented muco-purulent discharge from the nose, even though they were well nourished. All the deer tested had positive reactions, and 2 of them died less than 60 days after the test, while another 2 died after 3 months. It was concluded that there are brown brocket deer reagent to the tuberculin skin test, which may represent potential reservoirs of M. bovis and consequent spreading of TB to other animals.
KEY WORDS
Mycobacterium bovis
; tuberculosis; deer;
Mazama gouazoubira