The outbreak of migratory goat's brucellosis in the Swat ecosystem of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Abstract

Brucellosis is a major threat to public health especially in developing countries including Pakistan. This study reveals the characterisation ofBrucellaspecies affecting humans and goats in the Swat region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Blood samples were collected from shepherds and goats and analysed by Rose Bengal precipitation test (RBPT), standard plate agglutination test (SPAT), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Sanger sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. The findings of the study indicated 24% (36/150) and 11.3% (17/150) positivity forBrucella abortusandBrucella melitensis,respectively, in human samples. In samples of goats, 26.66% (40/150) were positive forB. abortusand 16.66% (25/150) samples were positiveB. melitensisby SPAT. The species-specific PCR confirmedB. abortusin 24% (36/150) of human samples and 26.66% (17/150) of goat samples by targeting the IS711 locus. The remaining seropositive samples were confirmed asB. melitensisusing IS711 M species-specific primer. The sequences of the amplified fragments of the 16S rRNA gene were blasted, and phylogenetic analysis revealed thatBrucellaspecies circulating in the Swat district were closely related toB. melitensisandB. abortusreported from India, China, Philippines, and the United States (US) showing the existence of the possible epidemiological linkage among theBrucellaspecies. This study concluded that there was a higher prevalence ofB. abortus(26.6%) in humans and goats compared toB. melitensis(16.6%). These results revealed that theBrucellaspecies were circulating in both humans and goats in the study areas. The findings of the study concluded thatB. abortusandB. melitensiswere circulating in goats and shepherds with a higher prevalence ofB. abortusthanB. melitensis. Furthermore, theBrucellaspecies identified in Swat were phylogenetically related to theBrucellaspecies reported from India, China, Philippines and the US.Contribution:The proposed study covers the scope of the journal. The species of the genusBrucellaaffect both animals and shepherds. This study investigates the seroprevalence of brucellosis in shepherds and goats in different geographical areas in the Swat district. The phylogenetic analysis of theBrucellaspp. identified in Swat showed close relationships to theBrucellaspecies reported in India, China, Philippines and the US, which shows the possible epidemiological linkages between theBrucellaspp.