Browsing by Author "Magnusson Ulf"

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Isolation, and molecular characterization of Brucella isolates in cattle milk in Uganda
(2015) Mugizi Denis Rwabita; Shaman Muradrasoli; Boqvist Sofia; Erume Joseph; Nasinyama George William; Waiswa Charles; Mboowa Gerald; Markus Klint; Magnusson Ulf
Brucellosis is endemic in livestock and humans inUganda and its transmission involves amultitude of risk factors like consumption of milk frominfected cattle. To shed new light on the epidemiology of brucellosis in Uganda the present study used phenotypic and molecular approaches to delineate the Brucella species, biovars, and genotypes shed in cattle milk. Brucella abortus without a biovar designation was isolated from eleven out of 207 milk samples from cattle in Uganda. These isolates had a genomic monomorphism at 16 variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) loci and showed in turn high levels of genetic variation when compared with otherAfrican strains or other B. abortus biovars from other parts of the world. This study further highlights the usefulness of MLVA asan epidemiological tool for investigation of Brucella infections.
The Milk Delivery Chain and Presence of Brucella Spp. Antibodies in Bulk Milk in Uganda
(2016-06) Mugizi Denis Rwabiita; Ståhl Karl; Magnusson Ulf; Boqvist Sofia; Rock Kim Toeroek
This study examinedthe influence of informal milk delivery chains on the risk of human exposure to Brucellaspp. through milk consumption in two regions of Uganda (Gulu and Soroti Districts). The work involved describing milk delivery chains, investigating brucellosis awareness amongst milk deliverers and determining the presence of Brucellaspp. antibodies in cattle milk on delivery to primary collection points (boiling points and dairies). Milk samples (n= 331) were collected from deliverers at primary collection points and from street vendors at point of sale and analysed using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (I-ELISA). A written questionnaire was used to collect data from deliverers (n= 279) on their milk delivery chains and their brucellosis awareness. The most common delivery points in Gulu District were small dairies and in Soroti District boiling points. The presence of Brucellaspp. antibodies in milk samples was higher in Soroti (40%) than in Gulu (11%) (P< 0.0001). There are possible public health risk consequences of this finding as 42% of deliverers in Soroti District reported drinking raw milk, compared with 15% in Gulu District (P< 0.0001). Awareness of brucellosis was low, with 70% of all milk deliverers reporting not having heard of the disease or the bacterium. Application of quality controls for milk (colour and odour) along the delivery chain varied depending upon supply and demand. This study provides evidence of the diversity of informal milk markets in low-income countries and of the potential public health risks of consuming unpasteurised milk. These results can be useful to those planning interventions to reduce brucellosis.
Molecular Detection and Characterization of Brucella Species in Raw Informally Marketed Milk from Uganda
(2016) Hoffman Tove; Rock Kim; Mugizi Denis Rwabiita; Muradrasoli Shaman; LindahlRajala Elisabeth; Erume Joseph; Magnusson Ulf; Lundkvist Åke; Boqvist Sofia
This study identified and characterizedBrucellaspecies in the informal milk chain in Uganda. A total of324 cattle bulk milk samples were screened for the genusBrucellaby real-time PCR with primers targeting thebcsp31gene and further characterized by theomp25gene. Of the samples tested, 6.5% were positive forBrucellaspecies. In theomp25phylogeny, the study sequences were found to form a separate clade within thebranch containingB. abortussequences. The study shows that informally marketed cattle milk in Uganda is alikely risk factor for human brucellosis and confirms thatB. abortusis present in the cattle population.This information is important for potential future control measures, such as vaccination of cattle.
Prevalence of and factors associated with Brucella sero-positivity in cattle in urban and peri-urban Gulu and Soroti towns of Uganda
(The Japanese Society of Veterinary Science, 2015) MUGIZI Rwabiita Denis; Boqvist Sofia; Nasinyama George William; Waiswa Charles; IKWAP Kokas; Rock Kim; LINDAHL Elisabeth; Magnusson Ulf; Erume Joseph
Brucellosis is a key zoonosis of major public health, animal welfare and economic significance, and is endemic in livestock in Uganda. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was carried out to estimate the sero-prevalence of brucellosis and identify factors associated with sero-positivity in cattle in urban and peri-urban Gulu and Soroti towns of Northern and Eastern Uganda, respectively. A total of 1007 sera and data on biologically plausible risk factors from 166 herds and their spatial locations, were collected from cattle reared in urban and peri-urban Gulu and Soroti towns of Uganda. The sera were analyzed using indirect ELISA and sero-positive reactors confirmed by competitive ELISA. Multivariable models were used to investigate for risk factors. The overall animal-level and herd-level sero-prevalence was 7.5% (76/1007, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 6.15–9.4%) and 27.1% (45/166, 95% CI: 20.9–34.3%), respectively. Herd-level seroprevalence was significantly (P<0.001) higher in Soroti than Gulu. In Gulu town, sero-positivity increased with an increase in herd size (P=0.03) and age (P=0.002), and was higher in cattle brought in from western Uganda (P<0.0001). In Soroti town, introduction of new cattle into a herd was significantly (P=0.027) associated with herd sero-positivity. There was a geographically differential risk (clustering) of Brucella sero- positivity in herds in Soroti, while sero-positivity was homogeneously distributed in Gulu. The data highlight brucellosis occurrence and major risk factors for its transmission in cattle in urban and peri-urban areas. KEY WORDS: brucellosis, risk factor, sero-positivity, Uganda, urban and peri-urban cattle