Sero-Prevalence Study of Bovine Brucellosis and Its Risk Factors in Dairy Farms in and Around Adama Town, Oromia Regional State, Central Ethiopia - Abstract
Background: Brucellosis is a contagious, zoonotic and economically important bacterial disease of worldwide distribution. Bovine brucellosis usually caused
by Brucella abortus and occasionally by B. melitensis and B. Suis, is one of the economically and publically important diseases for dairymen among others.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in selected dairy farms in and around Adama town, central Ethiopia, from December, 2017 to May 2018 to determine sero-prevalence of Brucella infection in dairy cattle, identify associated risk factors for the seropositivity and to evaluate the knowledge and practice of the owners. A total of 384 dairy cattle from 42 herds were included in the study. Mixed design of purposive and random sampling method were used for sampling at each farm during blood collection, and risk factors accessed via interviewee of the farm owners, animal handlers and others. Serum samples collected were screened by Rose Bengal Plate test, and sera found positive were confirmed by complement fixation test.
Results: An overall individual animal and herd level sero-prevalence was estimated to be 1.04% (95% CI: 0.02, 2.62), 9.5% (95% CI: 0.26, 18.78) respectively. Univariable analysis indicated that abortion history and retained fetal membrane were the major risk factors significantly associated (p< 0.05) with bovine brucellosis seropositivity. The odds of having brucellosis increased by 18.6 times in cow with history of abortion compared to cow without the history, increased by 13.6 times in the animal suffered from retained placenta compared to cow with no retained placenta. Fisher’s exact test statistics indicated that herd size and culling reason were significantly associated with bovine brucellosis (p< 0.05) at herd level. The result of questionnaire survey revealed that the overall awareness about brucellosis (16.7%) and its zoonotic importance (14.28%) among owners was considerably low.
Conclusion: the overall prevalence obatained in the area is low (1.04%); however, there is probable risk of spread of the disease in the unaffected cattle population, and personnel exposure is high, since there is no awareness about the disease and precaution measures taken in the areas. Thus, the need for implementing feasible and sustainable control measures, and awareness creation about zoonotic brucellosis in the public at the study site were recommended.