Seroprevalence Of Brucellosis Research Articles

Seroprevalence of Cattle Brucellosis in Al Gadarif State – Eastern Sudan

Aims: This study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of bovine brucellosis in Al Gadarif state -Eastern Sudan- and to evaluate the sensitivity of RBPT, mRBPT, and milk ring test for serodiagnosis of bovine brucellosis.
 Study Design: Collect serum and milk samples and apply the recommended tests for diagnosis.
 Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in Al Gadarif state regional laboratory and Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) in 2015.
 Methodology: A total of 367 serum samples were collected from 12 localities which include: Al Fao, Fashaga, Baldiat Al Gadarif, Wasat Gadarif, West Gadarif, Basonda, Al Gorisha, Al rhad,Mafaza , Butana, East Galapat and Gla nahl. Also, 100 bulk milk samples have been collected from Baldiat Al Gadarif, West Gadarif, Wasat Gadarif, and Fashaga and subjected to the milk ring test. All collected sera samples were tested for Brucella antibodies using the following serological tests: Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT), modified Rose Bengal Plate test (mRBT 1:2 and 1:3) and, c.ELISA test, the last test was done for 143 serum samples only.
 Results: The overall seroprevalence was 35.7%, 38.4%, 42.2% and 8.4% using RBPT, mRBPT (1:2), mRBPT (1:3) and c.ELISA tests respectively. According to this study the lowest seroprevalence was observed in Al Fao locality (11.1%), and the highest seroprevalence was in Al Gorisha Locality (71.4%).There was similarity in seroprevalence rate results using RBPT (1:2) and RBPT (1:3) in Al rahd (43.6%), Al Gorisha (85.7%) and Mafaza (50%) localities. Seroprevalence rate showed 10.9% and 9.1% in males and females respectively. There was no association between sex-as risk factor- and cattle brucellosis. Using the milk ring test the overall prevalence of positive milk samples was 39% (39/100). The highest prevalence was in Fashaga (60%), followed by Wasat Gadarif (46.7%). Baldiat Al Gadarif showed the lowest prevalence (22.9%).
 Conclusion: The serological investigation proved the occurrence of bovine brucellosis in Al Gadarif state -Eastern Sudan - using the recommended tests.

Prevalence of brucellosis in livestock keepers and domestic ruminants in Baringo County, Kenya.

Brucellosis is widely distributed in more than 170 countries around the world, where it poses a huge threat to animal husbandry and human health. Brucellosis is a worldwide re-emerging zoonotic disease that poses serious public health problems in many developing countries including Kenya. However, prevalence of brucellosis has not been determined in Baringo County, Kenya, yet there is a continuous movement of cattle resulting from trade and grazing, thus predisposing many herds to brucellosis infection. We investigated the sero-prevalence of brucellosis in humans and domestic ruminants: sheep, goats, cattle and camels among livestock keeping communities in Baringo County, Kenya. In addition, we analyzed the seropositive samples for molecular detection of Brucella species. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey using quantitative data collection methods. The diagnosis was carried out using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA) and the real-time PCR assays. The sero-prevalence of brucellosis among human blood samples was 0.6% (n = 4/640) in Baringo County. About 22.30% (n = 143/640) of animal blood samples examined tested positive for Brucella genus-specific ELISA test. Cattle had a high prevalence of 22.88% (n = 93/322) followed by camels 20.00% (n = 21/105), goats 15.48% (n = 24/155) and subsequently sheep at 8.62% (n = 5/58). Overall, 7.5% (n = 6/80) of the seropositive samples amplified with the genus-specific primers. Brucella melitensis was detected in one out of the six genus positive samples, while none amplified with the B. abortus target. Even though there was high prevalence of brucellosis among livestock in Baringo County, the highest prevalence was invariably noted in cattle, followed by camels, goats and sheep, respectively. Livestock keepers had low prevalence of brucellosis. This implies that there was low risk of transmission of brucellosis between livestock keepers and their livestock.

Human and Animal Brucellosis in Nigeria: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis in the Last Twenty-One Years (2001-2021).

Simple SummaryBrucellosis caused by Brucella spp. is transmitted by direct or indirect contact with infected animals or their secretions and through the consumption of infected animal meat and unpasteurized milk/milk products. Brucellosis is classified as one of the top neglected zoonosis by the World Health Organization (WHO), and despite this, it does not attract the appropriate attention it requires from both the Federal and State ministries of health in Nigeria. Currently, there is a lack of coordinated national data on the prevalence and distribution of human and animal brucellosis. Thus, published research works between 2001 and 2021 were studied based on set criteria to estimate the burden and distribution of brucellosis in Nigeria. The results of the national seroprevalence of human and animal brucellosis were 17.6% (554/3144) and 13.3% (8547/64,435), respectively. Specifically, 15.8% (7178/45,363) seroprevalence of brucellosis was recorded in northern Nigeria as against 8.7% (1902/21,740) in the southern part. Brucella abortus, B. melitensis, B. suis, and B. canis were reported in 27 of the 36 states. Improved sanitation at the abattoirs, use of personal protective equipment by animal handlers, vaccination of animals against brucellosis, and ranching of animals to curb the spread of the disease should be paramount to all stakeholders.The global burden of human and animal brucellosis remains enormous. The disease, which is endemic in Nigeria, lacks appropriate attention and national data. This review estimated the burden and distribution of human and animal brucellosis in Nigeria in the last twenty-one years (2001–2021). Publications reporting the detection of brucellosis in Nigeria were sorted from different search engines, including PubMed, ResearchGate, Scopus, and Google Scholar, to generate data on its prevalence, spatial distribution, and predisposing factors. The results of the national seroprevalence of human and animal brucellosis as revealed in this study were 17.6% (554/3144) and 13.3% (8547/64,435), respectively. Specifically, 15.8% (7178/45,363) seroprevalence of brucellosis was recorded in northern Nigeria as against 8.7% (1902/21,740) seroprevalence in the southern part. It also indicated that 78.7% of the detected brucellae were un-typed. The Brucella species detected were B. abortus (15.2%), B. melitensis (4%), B. suis (1.8%), and B. canis (0.4%). This study revealed that brucellosis is endemic in Nigeria. Culture and molecular methods for detecting brucellosis and reports on antimicrobial susceptibility testing remain a conjecture. This review will help researchers redirect their research focus and serve as a guide for policymakers on measures for managing brucellosis in Nigeria.

Sero-epidemiology of brucellosis in small ruminants, and herder’s knowledge and risky practices in southern Ethiopia

Brucellosis is an infectious zoonotic disease that causes reproductive losses in animals and poses public health hazards. This study was conducted in two zones of southern Ethiopia to estimate the seroprevalence and identify the associated risk factors of brucellosis in sheep and goats. Additionally, knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of the livestock keepers regarding brucellosis were assessed. Serum samples collected from 788 animals (179 sheep and 609 goats) were serially tested by the Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and Compliment Fixation Test (CFT). Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors. The overall seroprevalence of brucellosis in small ruminants was 4.1 % (95 % CI: 3.7, 4.4 %) with a higher prevalence in goats (5.1 %, 95 % CI: 3.3, 7.0) than in sheep (0.6 %, 95 % CI: 0.01, 3.2). Seroprevalence was significantly higher in animals from lowland (Odds ratio, OR = 20.7, 95 % CI: 2.3, 78), aged above 2 years (OR = 10.0, 95 % CI = 2.20, 45.67), purchased from markets (OR = 3.0, 95 % CI = 1.3, 7.4), large flocks (OR = 2.5, 95 % CI = 1.0, 6.2), and from households with dogs (OR = 2.9, 95 %CI: 1.2–6.8) compared to their counterparts. The likelihood of seropositivity was about 9 folds higher in goats than in sheep and 8.4 times higher in flocks with abortion history than other categories. KAP results suggest that herders had inadequate knowledge on brucellosis with 54 % (95 %CI: 51.3, 57.2) of the questions were answered correctly, placing them in the poor knowledge category (< 60 % cut off point). Considerable proportion of the respondents (42 %) had expressed risky attitudes, and most of them have been engaged in varying degree of risky practices that likely expose them to zoonotic infections. Insufficient knowledge and a desire to learn more about brucellosis reinforce the need to increase public awareness on the zoonotic risks of the disease, and its transmission, prevention and control measures.

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.

Evaluation of Hematological, Oxidative Stress, and Antioxidant Profile in Cattle Infected with Brucellosis in Southern Punjab, Pakistan.

Brucellosis is a well-known and harmful zoonotic disease that poses a severe threat to public health and wild and dairy animals. Due to a lack of monitoring and awareness, disease incidence has increased. Therefore, this study was conducted for the first time to ascertain the status of seroprevalence of brucellosis, hematological, oxidative stress, and antioxidant enzymes in different breeds of cattle reared under tropical-desert conditions in Pakistan. This study comprised 570 cattle of different breeds. We recorded some epidemiological traits, including age and gender. The blood samples were obtained from all the cattle, screened with RBPT, and then confirmed by ELISA and PCR. The results recorded an overall 11.75%, 10.7%, and 9.64% prevalence of brucellosis based on RBPT, ELISA, and PCR. We obtained nonsignificant results in different age and sex groups of cattle. The results showed significantly (P ≤ 0.05) lower values of erythrocyte counts, hemoglobin quantity, hematocrit, lymphocytes, and monocytes in infected cases. The results showed that the total leukocyte and neutrophil cells significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased. The lipid peroxidation parameters (MDA- and NO-scavenging activity of erythrocyte) increased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) in infected cattle, whereas significantly reduced antioxidant enzymes like SOD, RGSH, and CAT were. Similarly, significantly lower serum albumin levels and total serum proteins were recorded in infected cattle.

Nucleotide Variants in TheTLR5 Gene and Promoter Methylation with A Susceptibility to Brucellosis in Chinese Goats

In this study, we aimed to identify genetic variants of the TLR5 gene and the promoter methylation level with a susceptibility to brucellosis in Chinese Saanen dairy goats (SN). We randomly collected 205 genetically unrelated animals from five Chinese goat breeds, including the Saanen dairy goat (SN, n = 67), Tibetan goat (TG, n = 35), Chuannan black goat (CN, n = 30), Meigu goat (MG, n = 37) and the Jianzhou big-ear goat (JZ, n = 36). A blood sample was collected from each individual and used for the detection of brucellosis, TLR5 polymorphism identification and the detection of promoter methylation. In total, twenty-four SNPs were identified in the five investigated breeds. The allele and genotype frequency of the four loci (g.435C&gt;T, g.690G&gt;T, g.978A&gt;G and g.1832A&gt;G) were correlated with a seroprevalence of brucellosis in the SN goats. An r2 linkage disequilibrium (LD) was detected in SN, CN, TG and MG, but not in the JZ goats. Ten methylation sites were detected on the first CpG island with DNA methylation levels ranging from 0.2% to 5.2%, and twenty-two methylation sites were found on the second methylation island with a 2.3% to 12.1% methylation. The methylation levels of the two CpG islands in the healthy SN were significantly higher than those recorded in the brucella -infected SN (p &lt;0.05). Our findings demonstrated that genetic variations and the promoter methylation of TLR5 were associated with a brucellosis risk in SN goats. These results will be helpful for further studies of disease resistance in ruminants.

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.&#x0D; 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.&#x0D; 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.&#x0D; 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.