Sero-epidemiological survey and risk factors associated with bovine brucellosis among slaughtered cattle in Nigeria.

Victor Oluwatoyin Akinseye ,Ibikunle M Akanbi,Hezekiah Kehinde Adesokan ,M A Dipeolu ,Noah O Kolawole ,Oyinye J Okoro ,Adeniyi O Tade ,Anyanwu L Okeke ,Folashade Julianah Adedoyin ,Mofoluwake M Ibitoye ,Andrew Taylor ,Patricia I Otu ,Akwoba Joseph Ogugua ,Emmanuel Jolaoluwa Awosanya ,Eniola Olubukola Cadmus ,Emma Jane Dale ,Ayi Vandi Kwaghe ,O O Faleke ,C.a Agada ,Lorraine L Perrett ,J Stack ,Simeon Cadmus

doi:10.4102/ojvr.v83i1.1002

Abstract

Bovine brucellosis is endemic in Nigeria; however, limited data exist on nationwide studies and risk factors associated with the disease. Using a cross-sectional sero-epidemiological survey, we determined the prevalence of and risk factors for brucellosis in slaughtered cattle in three geographical regions of Nigeria. Serum samples from randomly selected unvaccinated cattle slaughtered over a period of 3 years (between December 2010 and September 2013) from northern, southern and south-western Nigeria were tested for antibodies to Brucella abortus using the Rose Bengal test. Data associated with risk factors of brucellosis were analysed by Stata Version 12. In all, 8105 cattle were screened. An overall seroprevalence of 3.9% (315/8105) was recorded by the Rose Bengal test, with 3.8%, 3.4% and 4.0% from the northern, southern and south-western regions, respectively. Bivariate analysis showed that cattle screened in northern Nigeria were less likely to be seropositive for antibodies to Brucella spp. than those from south-western Nigeria (odds ratio = 0.94; 95% confidence interval: 0.73–1.22). However, logistic regression analysis revealed that breed ( p = 0.04) and sex ( p £ 0.0001) of cattle were statistically significant for seropositivity to Brucella spp. The study found that brucellosis was endemic at a low prevalence among slaughtered cattle in Nigeria, with sex and breed of cattle being significant risk factors. Considering the public health implications of brucellosis, we advocate coordinated surveillance for the disease among diverse cattle populations in Nigeria, as is carried out in most developed countries.

Highlights

Brucellosis is a disease responsible for serious economic losses in the livestock industry
Despite the varying seroprevalence of bovine brucellosis found across the country, the findings indicated that the disease had spread among cattle that were slaughtered, reiterating its endemicity in Nigeria
It was verified that bovine brucellosis is endemic in Nigeria

Summary

Introduction

Brucellosis is a disease responsible for serious economic losses in the livestock industry. It is a zoonotic disease causing morbidity in humans and constitutes an important public health problem globally (Dean et al 2012). The disease has been eradicated in most developed countries through the implementation of several extensive control programmes. On the other hand, developing countries have continued to experience an increasing trend of the disease because of lack of resources and coordinated control programmes. Other major factors contributing to the disease in sub-Saharan Africa include increased pastoralism and transhumance and intensification of commercial livestock farms (Ducrotoy et al 2014)

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Discussion

Conclusion