Seroprevalence Of Brucellosis Research Articles

Brucellosis: A Retrospective Sero-epidemiological Study

Introduction: Brucellosis is one of the most important worldwide zoonotic diseases caused by the bacterial genus Brucella. It is frequently misdiagnosed and can therefore lead to inappropriate treatment and prolonged disease. This study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of human brucellosis cases and compare it with the national average and the number of goat brucellosis cases in Algeria.
 Materials and methods: A total of 3223 patients suspected of brucellosis were collected during 2008-2015 in Djelfa, central Algeria. Rose Bengal test and Wright's serum agglutination were used for the diagnosis.
 Results: The number of positive cases was 1281 (39.74%), including 743 (58.04%) men and 537 (41.96%) women, resulting in a ratio of 1.38. Men were infected more than women. The number of positive cases was observed frequently between April and September. However, there was no significant difference among the investigated years in terms of infection. The highest prevalence was observed in individuals aged between 11 and 30 years (21.62-22.32%). The seroprevalence of human brucellosis in the current study in Djelfa was significantly higher, compared to the national level. The number of animals (goats) and human cases reported at the national level and Djelfa followed a similar trend.
 Conclusion: Brucellosis still remains a serious public health threat in the study area. Epidemiological surveillance of brucellosis should be considered a priority in order to reduce the prevalence of human and animal brucellosis.

Seroprevalence of brucellosis in cattle in abia state

Bovine brucellosis caused by the organism Brucella abortus is a chronic infectious disease of public health and economic significance. Studies on prevalence of bovine brucellosis in Abia State are scarce. Therefore, a cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of bovine brucellosis in the State. Blood samples were collected from 212 cattle from various parts of the State and sera subjected to Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) to detect antibodies against Brucella. Overall sero-prevalence of 13.7% was reported. The prevalence was higher in female cattle (24.2%) than in males (11%). Red Bororo showed higher seropositivity (26.7%) than other breeds screened. Sero-prevalence was higher in the semi-intensively managed animals (27.8%) than in extensively reared cattle. Similarly, cattle aged 2 to 3 years recorded a higher prevalence (25%) than others. However, there was no statistically significant association between the seroprevalence of brucellosis and sex (P= 0.05), age (P=0.82), breed (P=0.25), and management system (P=0.07 ). The detection of brucellosis in cattle poses a very significant public health risk in Abia state, and so it is important to carry out awareness campaigns to enlighten cattle handlers and the general public of its public health significance.

Is Brucellosis an emerging zoonotic infection in District Nowshera Pakistan? [A novel investigation involving descriptive analysis of laboratory reports (2019-2021)

A novel cross-sectional study was planned to determine the significant frequency, risk factors and clinical parameters of Brucellosis in people living in Nowshera, Pakistan from March 2019 to March 2021. A non-probability convenient sampling was performed targeting 617 individuals who were previously diagnosed with consistent fever and cough, abortion and infertility, musculoskeletal pain, headache and depression, and elevated serum Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), elevated C-reactive Protein (CRP), and elevated Erythrocytes sedimentation rate (ESR). A closed-end questionnaire was filled out to gather information regarding different socio- demographics, assumed potential risk factors and clinical parameters of the participants. The serum samples of all participants were tested for IgG ELISA using (NovaLisa, GmbH, Germany). Descriptive statistics and statistical significance (null hypothesis) were analyzed via SPSS. 21. The entire frequency of human brucellosis found in our study was 14.1%. The highly significant sociodemographic factors were gender (P=0.00001), residency (P=0.040), and financial status (P=0.007), whereas the significant risk factors were animal exposure (P=0.002) and Brucella awareness (P=0.003). While the highly significant clinical complications were abortion and infertility (P=0.00004), elevated LDH (P=0.0005), elevated CRP (P=0.00003) and ESR (P=0.0002). The present seroprevalence of brucellosis in Nowshera is an alarming and serious public health concern. It is highly recommended to publicly provide a massive hygienic awareness and diagnostic services to explore the updates regarding the epidemiology of Brucellosis in the considered area for reasonable eradication

Abattoir-Based Serological Surveillance and Spatial Risk Analysis of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Brucellosis, and Q Fever in Lao PDR Large Ruminants.

A national animal disease surveillance network initiated by the Lao PDR government is adopted and reinforced by a joint research project between the National Animal Health Laboratory (NAHL), the Department of Livestock and Fisheries (DLF), and the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU). The network is strengthened by staff training and practical exercises and is utilised to provide zoonotic or high-impact disease information on a national scale. Between January and December 2020, large ruminant samples are collected monthly from 18 abattoirs, one in each province, by provincial and district agriculture and forestry officers. The surveillance network collected a total of 4247 serum samples (1316 buffaloes and 2931 cattle) over this period. Samples are tested for antibodies against Brucella spp., Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) and Foot-and-Mouth Disease Non-Structural Protein (FMD NSP) using commercial ELISA kits and the Rose Bengal test. Seroprevalences of Q fever and brucellosis in large ruminants are low at 1.7% (95% CI: 1.3, 2.1) and 0.7% (95% CI: 0.5, 1.0) respectively, while for FMD NSP it is 50.5% (95% CI: 49.0, 52.0). Univariate analyses show differences in seroprevalences of Q fever between destination (abattoir) province (p-value = 0.005), province of origin (p-value = 0.005), animal type (buffalo or cattle) (p-value = 0.0008), and collection month (p-value = 3.4 × 10−6). Similar to Q fever, seroprevalences of brucellosis were significantly different for destination province (p-value < 0.00001), province of origin (p-value < 0.00001), animal type (p-value = 9.9 × 10−5) and collection month (p-value < 0.00001), plus body condition score (p-value = 0.003), and age (p-value = 0.007). Additionally, risk factors of the FMD NSP dataset include the destination province (p-value < 0.00001), province of origin (p-value < 0.00001), sex (p-value = 7.97 × 10−8), age (p-value = 0.009), collection date (p-value < 0.00001), and collection month (p-value < 0.00001). Spatial analyses revealed that there is no spatial correlation of FMD NSP seropositive animals. High-risk areas for Q fever and brucellosis are identified by spatial analyses. Further investigation of the higher risk areas would provide a better epidemiological understanding of both diseases in Lao PDR. In conclusion, the abattoir serological survey provides useful information about disease exposure and potential risk factors. The network is a good base for field and laboratory staff training in practical technical skills. However, the sustainability of such a surveillance activity is relatively low without an external source of funding, given the operational costs and insufficient government budget. The cost-effectiveness of the abattoir survey could be increased by targeting hotspot areas, reducing fixed costs, and extending the focus to cover more diseases.

Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Human Brucellosis and Toxoplasmosis in Ghazni Province of Afghanistan

Brucellosis and toxoplasmosis are considered neglected zoonotic diseases with a worldwide distribution, which are endemic in Afghanistan. A cross-sectional study was carried out from May 24, 2021, to Feb 20, 2022 to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors associated with human brucellosis and toxoplasmosis in suspected patients admitted to the public and private laboratories of Ghazni province of Afghanistan. To detect Brucella IgM. a semi-quantitative agglutination test was used, while for the detection of Toxoplasma IgM and IgG, a chromatographic immunoassay was applied. Seroprevalence of brucellosis and toxoplasmosis were 32.1% (76/237) and 19.6% (18/92) in tested patients, respectively. Whereas, only in five cases dual infections were found. The majority of brucellosis positive cases were among the age group &gt;45 years old (57.1%; p&lt;0.05), in district residents (43.5%; p&gt;0.05), and among those with abortion (30.6%; p&lt;0.05) and history of positive brucellosis cases (50.0%; p&lt;0.05) in their family members. High seropositive cases of toxoplasmosis were observed in males (50.0%; p&gt;0.05), 21-45 years old people (20.8%; p&gt;0.05), those who owned dogs and cats (p&gt;0.05), among those with the history of abortion cases in their animals (41.7%; p&lt;0.05), and positive toxoplasmosis cases in their family members (66.7.0%; p≤0.05). The odds of being seropositive for brucellosis was higher in those that had history of abortion (OR: 4.3; 95%CI: 1.3-4.2) and brucellosis cases (OR: 7.1; 95%CI: 1.7-28.9) among their family members. Furthermore, the odds of being seropositive for toxoplasmosis was 13.2 times more (95%CI: 2.1, 82.2; p&lt;0.05) in those which had history of abortion cases in their animals. The high seroprevalence could be attributed to the study population being drawn from suspected cases rather than the general population. To assess the cross-connection of infections in human and animal populations, it would be more beneficial to study a large number of human and animal samples concurrently.

A Seroprevalence Study of Brucellosis in Boran (Zebu) Breeds of Pastoral Area.

PurposeThe economic and health implications of brucellosis are of particular concern in developing countries, primarily in the vulnerable sector of rural herders. A cross-sectional study was done in Boran breeds to estimate the seroprevalence of bovine brucellosis, identify risk variables and assess public health implications in Borena zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia in the questionnaire survey.MethodsThe sampling animals were chosen from smallholders using a simple random sampling procedure. The study involved a total of 788 animals. Animals of both sex and different age groups with the age of 6 months or above found during the study interval were included. The Rose Bengal plate test was used to screen sera, and positive samples were subsequently retested using a Direct Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for confirmation.ResultsThe overall seroprevalence of bovine brucellosis was 7.6% (60/788) in the Direct Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay test. Herd size, age, history of abortion, testicular hygroma, and retained fetal membrane were statistical significance for the Brucella seropositivity (P<0.05). Whereas, district, sex, body condition score, and management did not influence the disease occurrence (P>0.05). The majority of the participants, 91.7% (55/60) did not aware of the zoonotic implications of brucellosis. Only 10% (6/60) of interviewed respondents disposed of aborted fetuses and retained fetal membrane properly and the rest 90% (54/60) left in the environment. Ninety percent and 83.3% of the respondents revealed that they consumed raw milk and meat, respectively.ConclusionThe presence of Brucella infection is highly correlated with age, history of abortion, and testicular hygroma. According to the collected data: sex, body condition score, district, and management had no statistically significant effect on Brucella occurrence. The majority of respondents were unaware of the disease’s zoonotic consequences. Finally, creating community awareness about its transmission, zoonotic significance, and hygienic practices were recommended.

Major reproductive disorders and seroprevalence of brucellosis in dairy cows of Kembata-Tembaro zone, Southern Ethiopia.

A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2016 to May 2017 in Kembata-Tembaro Zone, Ethiopia to estimate the prevalence of major reproductive disorders and brucellosis in dairy cattle. A total of 733 dairy cows were selected from Kedida-Gambella and Damboya districts by a systematic random sampling technique. Clinical examination for reproductive disorders (n=733 cows) was carried out to investigate reproductive problems. From each cow, about 10 ml blood sample was collected and serum separated. Serum samples were screened for Brucella antibody by Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) and positive samples were further tested by Complement Fixation Test (CFT). Results showed that the overall seroprevalence of brucellosis using RBPT and CFT were 2.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15 – 3.35%) and 0.8% (95% CL 0.2-1.5%)., respectively. About 61% of the study cows had exhibited one or more of the reproductive disorders. The major reproductive disorders identified during this study were anoestrus (34.2%), repeat breeding (19.8%), dystocia (12.4%), retained placenta (8.5%), metritis (4.8%), abortion (3.8%), vaginal prolapse (1.8%) and stillbirth (0.9%). Reproductive disorders were significantly associated with the management system, body condition, watering point, and age of the animals (p&lt; 0.05). Accordingly, the disorders were more frequent in the extensive management system, in cows with poor body conditions, and among those using communal watering points. The problems of reproductive disorders were found to increase with age, especially in cows older than eight years of age. The overall seroprevalence of brucellosis reflects a low level of Brucella infection in the study area. In general, reproductive disorders are widely prevalent in dairy cows of the study area and undoubtedly hinder the production performances of dairy farms. Thus, there is a need for further study on the causes of clinical reproductive disorders in the study areas.

Community Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and Prevalence of Brucellosis in In Livestock Owners in Northern Red Sea Region, Eritrea

Background: Brucellosis is an infectious zoonotic disease broadly spread worldwide. Brucellosis is endemic in Eritrea, howeverthe prevalence rate, knowledge and practice of brucellosis among the livestock owners in the study area is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine theprevalence of brucellosis in livestock owners and evaluate the level of knowledge and practice of the community in Northern Red Sea region, Eritrea. Methods: Community-based cross sectional study, where a total of 29 villages 637 households and 22 livestock owners from each village were sampled for blood and data collection. Blood samples were tested using RBPTand positives samples further confirmed using c-ELISA. Data were collected using structured questionnaires. Results: A total of 637 respondents were enrolled in the study. Study participants were dominated by males (74.9%), Tigre ethnic (73%) and farmers (70.5%). The overall sero-prevalence of brucellosis in the study area was2.4% with the highest rate in Ghindae (3.9%). The comprehensive knowledge and practice was 58.4% and 10.5%, respectively.Comprehensive knowledge showed significant association with sub-region and age, while good practice indicated significant association with Age (P=0.000). Sub-region Ghindae indicated odds (OR)of 3.27 (P=0.001) for comprehensive knowledge and odds of (OR)3.12 (P=0.000) for good practice. Age group of ≥60 years shown odds of 4.40 (P=0.000) for compressive knowledge. Conclusion: The overall sero-prevalence of brucellosis in livestock owners in the study area was low, but considerable higher in some spot areas. The participantsshowed good level of knowledge and poor practice. Sub-regionand age were important factors associated with comprehensive knowledge and good practice of the participants.Respondents from Sub-region Ghindaeshowed relativelyhigher level of prevalence rate, comprehensive knowledge and good practice to wards brucellosis. The study recommends urgent educational campaign to increase the community knowledge and improve their good practice habit on brucellosis. Conductregular testing of animals and implement feasible control measures against the brucellosis.

Seroepidemiological Analysis of Brucellosis in Goat and Household Animal Keepers of District Swat

Brucellosis is a chronic bacterial infection that can infect a variety of animal species and humans. The disease has been studied in many parts of the world including Pakistan, however, caprine brucellosis has not been well reported and very few studies are published at the national level. This study was conducted to investigate the seroprevalence of brucellosis in goat and household animal keepers of district Swat Pakistan. A total of 235 blood samples were collected from goats and 53 blood samples from animal keepers following the standard protocols. All the serum samples were analyzed by the Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and Serum Plate Agglutination Test (SPAT) for the detection of anti-brucella antibodies. All the goat serum samples were also subjected to Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for the comparison of two commonly used serological tests. The overall seroprevalence of brucellosis in the goat population of district Swat was recorded as 13.61% and 16.17% while in the human population it was recorded as 3.77% and 5.66% by RBPT and SPAT respectively. A significant correlation was found between abortion and seropositivity of brucellosis in goats with a p˂0.05. By comparing RBPT and SPAT considering ELISA as a gold standard, the SPAT test showed a greater sensitivity than RBPT recorded as 82% and 80 % by SPAT and RBPT respectively. It is concluded that brucellosis is prevailing in both the goat as well as in animal keepers of district Swat. Screening of animals and awareness of the general population through mass media is recommended.

Sero-Prevalence of Rift Valley Fever and Brucellosis in Cattle of Northern Benin, West Africa

Sero-Prevalence of Rift Valley Fever and Brucellosis in Cattle of Northern Benin, West Africa

Standardization and Evaluation of an In-house Multiplex Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction for Simultaneous Detection of Pathogenic Species of Brucella, Rickettsia, and Leptospira in Patients with Acute Febrile Illness

Background and Objectives: Acute febrile illness is caused by a wide range of etiologies. Brucella, Rickettsia and Leptospira as a cause of acute febrile illness have not been well studied. Identification by culture is laborious and diagnosis is often based on serological tests. We aimed to develop an in-house multiplex real-time PCR assay for the simultaneous detection of Brucella, Rickettsia and Leptospira and evaluate on samples collected from patients presenting with acute febrile illness. Methods: Samples (n=1101) were collected from patients presenting with acute febrile illness from different regions. An inhouse multiplex real-time PCR was developed for the specific detection of Brucella species, Rickettsia species and pathogenic species of Leptospira. The assay was evaluated on clinical samples. IgM ELISA was carried out on randomly selected samples (n=178). Results: The detection limit of the multiplex real-time PCR assay was 6.3, 43.7 and 1.2 genome copies per 10 μl of PCR input for Brucella, Rickettsia and Leptospira respectively. Among 1101 samples, Leptospira was positive in 1.36% samples and Rickettsia was positive in 0.36% samples. Among random samples, 37.1% of samples were positive for Brucella IgM, 19.6% were positive for Rickettsia IgM and 11.2% were positive for Leptospira IgM. Interpretation and Conclusions: The study showed a high seroprevalence of Brucellosis and Rickettsiosis among the samples. The in-house multiplex real-time PCR assay will be a useful tool in the syndromic diagnosis for a specific and comprehensive laboratory diagnostic testing.

Seroprevalence of Brucellosis in Cattle in Abia State

Bovine brucellosis caused by the organism Brucella abortus is a chronic infectious disease of public health and economic significance. Studies on prevalence of bovine brucellosis in Abia State are scarce. Therefore, a cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of bovine brucellosis in the State. Blood samples were collected from 212 cattle from various parts of the State and sera subjected to Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) to detect antibodies against Brucella. Overall sero-prevalence of 13.7% was reported. The prevalence was higher in female cattle (24.2%) than in males (11%). Red Bororo showed higher seropositivity (26.7%) than other breeds screened. Sero-prevalence was higher in the semi-intensively managed animals (27.8%) than in extensively reared cattle. Similarly, cattle aged 2 to 3 years recorded a higher prevalence (25%) than others. However, there was no statistically significant association between the seroprevalence of brucellosis and age (P=0.82)/ breed (P=0.25), while a significant association was recorded for seroprevalence of brucellosis and sex (P= 0.05)/ management system (P=0.07). The detection of brucellosis in cattle poses a very significant public health risk in Abia state, and so it is important to carry out awareness campaigns to enlighten cattle handlers and the general public of its public health significance.

Seroepidemiology of Camel Brucellosis in and around Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia.

Brucellosis is an infectious disease in domestic and wild animals with serious zoonotic and economic implication in humans, being more severe in developing countries. The disease is highly prevalent in cattle, camels, and small ruminants in pastoral and agro-pastoral areas in Africa. Here we have investigated the seroepidemiology of camel brucellosis in and around Dire Dawa, eastern Ethiopia, using a cross-sectional study design to determine the seroprevalence of the disease and to identify risk factors that would facilitate the transmission of zoonotic diseases to humans. This study involved testing 350 serum samples from camels and interviewing 120 livestock owners. The modified Rose Bengal plate test (mRBPT) and the complement fixation test (CFT) were used as screening and confirmatory tests, respectively. The overall sero-prevalence of camel brucellosis was found to be 8.3% and 2% using mRBPT and CFT tests, respectively. Among the risk factors assessed, only abortion and body condition disclosed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) with regard to the seropositivity of camel brucellosis. Camel brucellosis is prevalent in eastern Ethiopia and there is a need to execute well-organized disease control and prevention programs and exercise public health education to scale up awareness of the community towards the disease.

Brucellosis in Ethiopia: A comprehensive review of literature from the year 2000-2020 and the way forward.

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease of considerable economic and public health significance globally. Despite the limited bacteriological evidence, a large number of serological works revealed that it is prevalent both in livestock and humans in Ethiopia. The current comprehensive review was carried out to provide apparent pooled seroprevalence (APS) estimates at individual animal and herd levels in livestock, and identify factors causing variability between studies conducted over the last two decades, show the spatial distribution, as well as summarizes Brucella species reported from livestock. It also provides APS of brucellosis in humans and evaluates the public health awareness of zoonotic brucellosis. In this review, systematic and synthetic review approaches were followed to summarize the available information. For the systematic review and meta-analysis, articles were selected based on predefined criteria. Data extracted from these articles were analysed using meta-analytical approaches to provide APS estimates and in-between study variations for humans and all livestock species considered. Sensitivity analyses and bias assessments were conducted using influence plot analysis and, Egger's and Begg's statistics along with funnel plots, respectively. Synthetic review approaches were used to summarize data on isolates and public health awareness. Pooled seroprevalence estimate of brucellosis at national level was 2.6% (95% CI: 2.2-3.0) in cattle, 4% (95% CI: 3.1-5.1) in goats, 3% (95% CI: 2.3-3.9) in sheep and 3% (95% CI: 2.4-3.7) in camels. At a herd level, 16.3% (95% CI: 12.9-20.5) of cattle, 12.1% (7.1-19.9) of goat, 13.3% (7.6-22.1) of sheep and 19.7% (13.8-27.4) of camel herds in the country had at least one seropositive animal. Cattle in the pastoral/agropastoral production systems had significantly higher (p<.05) APS compared to mixed crop-livestock and urban/peri-urban dairy production systems. Pooled seroprevalence of brucellosis in small ruminants (8.3%, 95% CI: 6.3-10.8) and camels (4.4%, 95% CI: 3.5-5.6) in Afar were significantly higher (p<.05) than in other regions. Reports conducted using ELISA and serial Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT)-ELISA had higher (p<.05) APS estimates than serial RBPT and complement fixation test. Brucella melitensis and B. abortus were reported from goats and cattle, respectively, from three available reports. The APS of brucellosis in humans was 5% (95% CI: 3.3-7.3). Public awareness of brucellosis was low (18.4%), while, practices that expose humans to Brucella infection were high. Scenario-based control interventions on regions and production systems using one health approach are suggested.

Seroprevalence and risk behaviors of bovine brucellosis in the south-western prefecture of Haho, Togo, January to April 2020

Seroprevalence and risk behaviors of bovine brucellosis in the south-western prefecture of Haho, Togo, January to April 2020

Countrywide cross-sectional study of swine brucellosis sero-prevalence in Indian subcontinent during 2018-2019.

Brucellosis in swine is a contagious disease with greater zoonotic potential caused by Brucella suis. The study describes PAN India swine brucellosis sero-prevalence in 5431 stratified random serum samples collected during 2018-2019 from 26 out of 29 states and two out of seven union territories. The serum samples were tested for anti-Brucella antibodies by indirect ELISA and overall, 4.33% apparent prevalence (AP) was recorded. The AP is ≥ 10% in five states among 26 states, P ≥ 50% in four districts out of 117 districts screened and cent percent prevalence in two epi units out of 264 sampled. Significantly high seropositivity (p < 0.05) in male (6.08%) than female pigs (3.46%) and in ≥ 24-month-old pigs indicated older and male pigs as potential carriers of the disease. The study recorded endemicity of the swine brucellosis in few regions of India requiring periodical surveillance for control of the disease. Brucella testing of boars before breeding and awareness among farmers and veterinarians will aid in reduction of disease burden in the absence of vaccination policy.

Seroprevalence and risk factors of brucellosis in Arabian horses.

BackgroundBrucellosis, as a zoonotic disease, mainly occurs in horses by Brucella abortus, Brucella canis and Brucella suis. The disease in equines is often asymptomatic, but the clinical signs in horses are mostly characterized by bursitis, arthritis and tenosynovitis.ObjectivesThis study, thus, aimed to determine the seroprevalence of brucellosis and its associated risk factors in the Arabian horses of Khuzestan province, South‐west Iran.MethodsTo that end, the blood samples randomly collected from 180 Arabian horses were analyzed for the presence of anti‐Brucella antibodies by Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT), serum agglutination test (SAT), 2‐mercaptoethanol test (2‐ME) and a commercial i‐ELISA kit.ResultsThe ROC curve analysis showed that the best cut‐off point for S/P values in i‐ELISA turned out to be 26.25%. The results showed that the overall seroprevalence of brucellosis based on parallel interpretation of the test results was 12.22% (Positive/Tested = 22/180). The prevalence of acute and chronic brucellosis was 8.3 and 3.9%, respectively. The seroprevalence of brucellosis with RBPT and i‐ELISA methods was 1.11% (2/180) and 7.22% (13/180), respectively. According to what SAT revealed, 9.44% (17/180) of sera had a titer of 40 or greater, and at 2‐ME, 7.22% of samples (13 out of 180 samples) depicted a titer of 40. The results of i‐ELISA, SAT and 2‐ME were significantly different from those of RBPT (p < 0.01); however, there was no significant difference between i‐ELISA, SAT and 2‐ME in findings (p > 0.05).ConclusionsThe results of this study recommend that i‐ELISA be used for screening purposes of brucellosis in horses. The findings confirmed that Arabian horses are natural hosts for the Brucellae. It is, thus, necessary to adopt appropriate prevention and control programs by health authorities and horse owners so as to reduce the distribution and transmission of the infection in the regions where brucellosis is prevalent.

Seroprevalence of brucellosis, Q fever and Rift Valley fever in domestic ruminants in Guinea in 2017\u20132019

BackgroundBrucellosis, Q fever and Rift Valley fever are considered as Neglected Zoonotic Diseases (NZDs) leading to socioeconomic losses in livestock globally, and particularly in developing countries of Africa where they are under-reported. In this study, we evaluated the seroprevalence of these 3 zoonotic diseases in domestic ruminants in Guinea from 2017 to 2019. A total of 1357 sera, sampled from 463 cattle, 408 goats and 486 sheep, were collected in 17 Guinean prefectures and analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).ResultsCattle was the species with highest seroprevalence (5 to 20-fold higher than in small ruminants) for the three diseases. The seroprevalence of brucellosis, mostly focused in Western Guinea, was 11.0% (51 of 463) in cattle, 0.4% (2 in 486) in sheep while no specific antibodies were found in goats. Q fever, widespread across the country, was the most frequently detected zoonosis with a mean seroprevalence of 20.5% (95 in 463), 4.4% (18 in 408) and 2.3% (11 in 486) in cattle, goats and sheep, respectively. The mean seroprevalence of RVF was 16.4% (76 in 463) in cattle, 1.0% (4 in 408) in goats and 1.0% (5 in 486) in sheep. Among the samples 19.3% were seropositive for at least one of the three NZDs, 2.5% showed specific antibodies against at least two pathogens and 4 cattle (0.8%) were seropositive for all three pathogens. In cattle, adults over 3-years old and females presented a higher antibody seroprevalence for the three diseases, in congruence with putative exposure risk.ConclusionsThis study confirms the circulation of these three zoonotic pathogens in Guinea and highlights the need for implementing a syndromic surveillance of ruminant abortions by the Guinean veterinary authorities as well as for the screening of the human population at risk (veterinarians, breeders, slaughterers) in a One Health perspective.

Combining seroprevalence and capture-mark-recapture data to estimate the force of infection of brucellosis in a managed population of Alpine ibex

In wildlife, epidemiological data are often collected using cross-sectional surveys and antibody tests, and seroprevalence is the most common measure used to monitor the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases. On the contrary, the force of infection, a measure of transmission intensity that can help understand epidemiological dynamics and monitor management interventions, remains rarely used. The force of infection can be derived from age-stratified cross-sectional serological data, or from longitudinal data (although less frequently available in wildlife populations). Here, we combined seroprevalence and capture-mark-recapture data to estimate the force of infection of brucellosis in an Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) population monitored from 2012 to 2018. Because the seroprevalence of brucellosis was 38% in this population in 2012, managers conducted two culling operations in 2013 and 2015, as well as captures every year since 2012, where seronegative individuals were marked and released, and seropositive individuals were removed. We obtained two estimates of the force of infection and its changes across time, by fitting (i) a catalytic model to age-seroprevalence data obtained from unmarked animals (cross-sectional), and (ii) a survival model to event time data obtained from recaptures of marked animals (longitudinal). Using both types of data allowed us to make robust inference about the temporal dynamics of the force of infection: indeed, there was evidence for a decrease in the force of infection between mid-2014 and late 2015 in both datasets. The force of infection was estimated to be reduced from 0.115 year-1 [0.074–0.160] to 0.016 year-1 [0.001–0.057]. These results confirm that transmission intensity decreased during the study period, probably due to management interventions and natural changes in infection dynamics. Estimating the force of infection could therefore be a valuable complement to classical seroprevalence analyses to monitor the dynamics of wildlife diseases, especially in the context of ongoing disease management interventions.

The first study on seroprevalence and risk factors for zoonotic transmission of ovine and caprine brucellosis in the Province of Bam, Burkina Faso.

Background and Aim:Brucellosis is a bacterial disease notorious for its ability to infect a wide range of domestic and wildlife animals, as well as humans. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of ovine and caprine brucellosis and the associated risk factors in the Province of Bam in Burkina Faso.Materials and Methods:The individual serological status of 300 unvaccinated sheep and 300 unvaccinated goats was determined by Rose Bengal and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA) serological tests used in parallel. The frequency of behaviors conferring risk of developing this zoonotic disease was determined through two epidemiological questionnaires, which identified known risk factors for the transmission of brucellosis between animals and humans.Results:Individual seroprevalence was estimated at 6.0% (18/300) in sheep and 4.3% (13/300) in goats. The “herd” prevalence of brucellosis was estimated at 60% in sheep while 40% in goats. Positivity in the iELISA serological test was significantly associated with age, sex, and husbandry system in sheep and goats.Conclusion:These results indicate that Brucella melitensis circulates in sheep and goat farms in the Province of Bam in Burkina Faso. As B. melitensis is highly pathogenic to humans, adequate measures must be taken to protect the population against this zoonotic disease.