Analysis of some of the epidemiological risk factors affecting the prevalence of tuberculosis in buffalo at seven livestock farms in Punjab Pakistan

Abstract

Background: Bovine tuberculosis is a disease of zoonotic importance. It is disease of high priority all over the world and needs to be investigated in each country. Objective: This study was conducted to find out the prevalence of tuberculosis in buffaloes and associated risk factors. Methods: The study was carried out at seven livestock experimental stations in Punjab, Pakistan. Buffaloes were studied by comparative cervical intradermal tuberculin test. Result: The results of the study revealed an overall tuberculosis prevalence of 11.3% with 86% of farms having tuberculin positive animals. The frequency analysis revealed significant difference between different groups for age, calving, lactation length, average daily milk and live weight of the buffaloes. Data analysis by T-test also revealed significant difference between means for age, live weight, calving, lactation length and average daily milk between tuberculin positive and negative buffaloes. Bivariate and multivariate logistic analysis revealed significant association of age, live weight, calving, average daily milk and lactation length. Multivariate logistic regression analysis including all the variables in the model revealed significant association of tuberculosis with age, live weight, total milk produced, presence of cattle at the farm, lactation length, and total other animals at the farm. Conclusion: The prevalence of tuberculosis in buffaloes increases with the increase in age, calving, live weight, milk production and presence of cattle at the farm, while the prevalence decreases with the increase in lactation length. Keywords: Buffaloes, Pakistan, prevalence, tuberculin test, tuberculosis