Abstract

Brucellosis is a key zoonosis of major public health, animal welfare and economic significance, and is endemic in livestock in Uganda. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was carried out to estimate the sero-prevalence of brucellosis and identify factors associated with sero-positivity in cattle in urban and pen-urban Gulu and Soroti towns of Northern and Eastern Uganda, respectively. A total of 1007 sera and data on biologically plausible risk factors from 166 herds and their spatial locations, were collected from cattle reared in urban and pen-urban Gulu and Soroti towns of Uganda. The sera were analyzed using indirect ELISA and sero-positive reactors confirmed by competitive ELISA. Multivariable models were used to investigate for risk factors. The overall animal-level and herd-level sero-prevalence was 7.5% (76/1007, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 6.15-9.4%) and 27.1% (45/166, 95% CI: 20.9-34.3%), respectively. Herd-level sero-prevalence was significantly (P<0.001) higher in Soroti than Gulu. In Gulu town, sero-positivity increased with an increase in herd size (P=0.03) and age (P=0.002), and was higher in cattle brought in from western Uganda (P<0.0001). In Soroti town, introduction of new cattle into a herd was significantly (P=0.027) associated with herd sero-positivity. There was a geographically differential risk (clustering) of Brucella sero- positivity in herds in Soroti, while sero-positivity was homogeneously distributed in Gulu. The data highlight brucellosis occurrence and major risk factors for its transmission in cattle in urban and pen-urban areas.

Keywords

brucellosis; risk factor; sero-positivity; Uganda; urban and peri-urban cattle

Published in

Journal of Veterinary Medical Science
2015, Volume: 77, number: 5, pages: 557-564
Publisher: JAPAN SOC VET SCI

SLU Authors

• Boqvist, Sofia

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Rock, Kim

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Rajala, Elisabeth

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Magnusson, Ulf

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages


UKÄ Subject classification

Clinical Science
Medical Bioscience


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms.14-0452

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/69407