Abstract
Background Tuberculosis (TB) has been an important public health concern in Ethiopia, particularly at areas of human-animal intersection. However, limited epidemiological information is available in this respect in the country. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the transmission of TB at human-cattle interface, associated risk factors and public awareness about the disease at South Gondar Zone, northwest Ethiopia. Methods A cross sectional study was conducted between March 2015 and April 2018 on 186 farmers and 476 cattle in South Gondar Zone, northwest Ethiopia. Bacteriological examination, region of difference (RD) 9-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR), single intradermal comparative tuberculin test (SICTT), and questionnaire were used for undertaking this study. Results Culture positivity in farmers was 59.7% (111/186) and all the culture positive isolates were M. tuberculosis. About 68% (74/111) of culture positive respondents did not know about the transmission of TB from cattle to human or vice versa. The animal and herd prevalence of bovine TB were 1.5% (7/476) and 7.4% (7/95), respectively. Although the result was not statistically significant, the odds of bovine TB in cattle owned by TB positive households was slightly higher than those owned by TB free households (adjusted odds ratio, AOR = 1.39; 95% CI: 0.31–7.10; p = 0.76). Conclusion Although SIDCTT reactivity was slightly higher in cattle owned by TB positive households, all the human isolates were M. tuberculosis and no M. bovis was isolated from farmers, which could be due to the low prevalence of bovine TB in the area.
Highlights
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease of humans and animals. e most common cause of human TB is known to be Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis), and the main cause of TB in animals is Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis)
According to some studies from Tanzania, Nigeria, and Uganda, M. bovis accounted for 20% or more of the M. tuberculosis complex (MTBC) isolated from human TB cases [3,4,5]
59.5% (66/111) was isolated from extra pulmonary TB (EPTB) patients. e molecular typing of culture positive isolates using RD9-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed that all isolates had intact RD9 locus and were subsequently classi ed as M. tuberculosis
Summary
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease of humans and animals. e most common cause of human TB is known to be Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis), and the main cause of TB in animals is Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis). Zoonotic TB is a form of TB that is caused by M. bovis and transmitted from animals to humans. While reverse zoonotic TB is the form of TB that is caused by M. tuberculosis and is transmitted from humans to animals. It is estimated that in countries where pasteurization of milk is rare and bovine TB is common, 10%–15% human cases of TB are caused by M. bovis [2]. Erefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the transmission of TB at human-cattle interface, associated risk factors and public awareness about the disease at South Gondar Zone, northwest Ethiopia. SIDCTT reactivity was slightly higher in cattle owned by TB positive households, all the human isolates were M. tuberculosis and no M. bovis was isolated from farmers, which could be due to the low prevalence of bovine TB in the area
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