Brucellosis in the Addis Ababa dairy cattle: the myths and the realities

Aboma Zewude,Gizat Almaw,Yemiserach Zeleke,Gizachew Hailegebreal,Gobena Ameni,Adrian M Whatmore,James L N Wood,Stefan Berg,Bedaso Mammo Edao,Teshale Sori

doi:10.1186/s12917-018-1709-4

Abstract

BackgroundBovine brucellosis is considered as an important disease among livestock and people in sub-Saharan African countries including Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2016 to May 2017 to estimate the prevalence and associated risk factors, and to assess knowledge-attitude and practices (KAP) of farm workers about bovine brucellosis in Addis Ababa dairy farms.ResultsA total of 1550 cattle from 127 dairy farms were serially tested using the Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT), Competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbant Assay (c-ELISA) and Complement Fixation Test (CFT). Forty-three (2.77%) of the collected sera were positive by the RBPT and only one of these was positive by c-ELISA (0.06%) and none was positive by CFT. The knowledge of farm workers towards the disease was very low and risk factors associated with Brucella infection were apparent in the study area.ConclusionSeropositivity for Brucella spp. was found in only a very small percentage by c-ELISA test, although risk factors for transmitting Brucella infection were present. The results suggest that bovine brucellosis is currently not a generalized problem in dairy cattle of Addis Ababa. Since this favorable disease situation is not the result of informed policy, there is no guarantee that it will continue unchanged. Setting clear policy in control of the disease and implementing “One Health” are the most constructive approaches recommended.

Highlights

Bovine brucellosis is considered as an important disease among livestock and people in sub-Saharan African countries including Ethiopia
Knowledge-attitude and practices (KAP) of the farm workers about brucellosis Demographic characteristics Out of 127 surveyed farms, 130 farm workers in 59 farms were willing to participate in the knowledge-attitude and practices (KAP) study
83.6% in small scale, 60% in medium size and 81.5% in large farms disposed of dead fetus/after birth to open dump in the environment and more than 5 % of participants in small herd sized farms fed aborted materials to dogs

Summary

Introduction

Bovine brucellosis is one of the infectious diseases hampering productivity of cattle and has been reported from several parts of the country [2] Bovine brucellosis is a zoonotic disease with economic and public health impact, for human and animal populations in developing countries that rely mainly on livestock production [3]. Bovine brucellosis is considered to be predominantly caused by Brucella abortus; and, to a much lesser extent by B. melitensis, where cattle are kept together with infected goat or sheep. It is characterized clinically by abortion at first gestation, retained fetal membrane (RFM), metritis, orchitis and epididymitis [5, 6].

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