Abstract
A cross-sectional study design was employed on collected sera samples to investigate brucellosis in small ruminants from December 2018 to November 2019 with the objectives of estimating the seroprevalence and potential risk factors for the occurrence of brucellosis in small ruminants in selected districts of West Hararghe: Chiro, Hirna, and Mieso. A total of 2070 collected sera samples from small ruminants were tested using serological tests and screened by RBPT and confirmatory test (CFT). The overall seroprevalence of the present study was 0.24% in small ruminants (Chiro 0.2%, Hirna 0%, and Mieso 0.3%). The chi-square test (Stat 14.0) was used to determine the strength of potential risk factors associated with the occurrence of brucellosis by using univariable logistic regression. Mixed flock (OR = 2.11 (1.33–3.36 CI; P=0.002)), agropastoral (OR = 4.01 (2.35–6.84 CI; P=0.0001)) and pastoral (OR = 2.59 (1.37–4.90 CI; P=0004)) production system, and larger flock size (OR = 1.68 (1.08–2.60 CI; P=0.021) were factors significantly affecting the prevalence of small ruminant brucellosis. Univariable analysis was used, and independent predictors of small ruminant brucellosis were further analyzed using multilogistic regression. This disease was presented in the current study area; therefore, the careful separation of positive animals would help to prevent and control further distribution of the disease.
Highlights
Ethiopia is one of the countries which endowed the largest livestock population in Africa
The pastoral and agropastoral areas are found in the lowlands and characterized by extensive production which is largely based on the rangeland [2]. e country hosts a large number of small ruminants which constitute an estimated number of 47.83 million, of which 29.12 million are sheep and 28.88 million are goats
Serosurvey of small ruminant brucellosis shows a relatively higher prevalence in adults than in young; this is because susceptibility increases after sexual maturity especially with pregnancy, the presence of erythritol hormones and other substances in the uterus, placenta, and fetal fluids favors the proliferation of B. melitensis which is the principal agent causing infection in sheep and goats [6]
Summary
Ethiopia is one of the countries which endowed the largest livestock population in Africa. Seventy-five percent of sheep were adapted to highlands and about 76% of goats were adapted to lowlands [3] Small ruminants and their products are important export commodities significantly contributing to the national economy; they support the livelihood of millions of pastoral peoples as a source of milk and meat. Despite the presence of a large population of small ruminants in different agroecological regions of the country, limited research has been done on small ruminant brucellosis. Teshale and his colleagues [14] reported a prevalence proportion of 14.6% in sheep and 16.45% in goats in the Afar region and 1.6% in sheep and 1.7% in goats in the Somali region. Small ruminant brucellosis in Ethiopia, in West Hararghe Zone of Oromia region, was not well studied; this study was designed to know the status of small ruminant brucellosis in the study area
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