Abstract
There is paucity of Brucella prevalence data in Malawi. For this reason, a cross-sectional study was conducted, from 06 January 2020 to 27 February 2020, to estimate the seroprevalence of brucellosis in dairy cattle herds amongst smallholder farmers, government and private dairy farms in the southern region. A total of 529 serum samples were screened for anti-Brucella antibodies using the Rose Bengal test (RBT) and a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA). A pre-tested electronic (Epicollect tool, Wellcome Sanger Institute, United Kingdom) questionnaire was administered to 378 smallholder farmers to assess their knowledge, attitudes and practices towards brucellosis. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data in Microsoft Excel® and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS®) version 21. No animal tested positive for presence of anti-Brucella antibodies, indicating 0% prevalence (individual and herd levels). The majority (94.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 91.8–96.5) of smallholder farmers had never heard about brucellosis. Furthermore, assisting during parturition without protective equipment (41.3%; 95% CI: 36.3–46.2) and using bulls for breeding (75%; 95% CI: 70.2–78.9) were amongst the common risk practices that were identified. We could not detect brucellosis in this study that indicates the disease could be very rare or even absent in the dairy cattle herds of the southern region of Malawi. However, further Brucella studies need to be conducted in cattle, small livestock, wildlife and humans to document the true status of brucellosis in the country. Brucellosis surveillance, monitoring, awareness and preventive measures are required to maintain this favourable situation.
Highlights
Brucellosis is an infectious bacterial disease that is caused by Brucella spp. and affects animals, with humans being accidental hosts (Corbel 2006)
All 529 and 88 samples originating from 378 herds, milk bulking groups (MBGs) and farms tested negative on the Rose Bengal test (RBT) test and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA), respectively
Half of the respondents (50.8%; 95% CI: 45.7–55.8) did not know that brucellosis or other zoonotic diseases could be transmitted from dairy animals to humans, whilst 118 respondents (31.2%; 95% CI: 26.5–35.8) knew that consumption of contaminated raw milk was a mode of transmission for zoonotic diseases
Summary
Brucellosis is an infectious bacterial disease that is caused by Brucella spp. and affects animals, with humans being accidental hosts (Corbel 2006). The disease is usually asymptomatic in young animals and non-pregnant females (OIE 2018). In cattle and small ruminants, pregnant adult females develop placentitis usually resulting in late-term abortions following infection with Brucella melitensis or Brucella abortus. Brucellosis in humans is characterised by intermittent fever, generalised pain (WHO/FAO/OIE 2004) and an influenza-like syndrome that is often misdiagnosed or under reported in Africa (Asakura et al 2018). These may be slight or severe and the disease may be acute or chronic (of protracted duration). The disease may affect a person over several http://www.jsava.co.za
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