Prevalence of and factors associated with Brucella sero-positivity in cattle in urban and peri-urban Gulu and Soroti towns of Uganda
Date
2015
Authors
MUGIZI, Rwabiita Denis
BOQVIST, Sofia
NASINYAMA, George William
WAISWA, Charles
IKWAP, Kokas
ROCK, Kim
LINDAHL, Elisabeth
MAGNUSSON, Ulf
ERUME, Joseph
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Japanese Society of Veterinary Science
Abstract
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
Description
Keywords
Brucella sero-positivity in cattle, Livestock farming
Citation
Rwabiita Mugizi, D., Boqvist, S., Nasinyama, G., Waiswa, C., Ikwap, K., Rock, K., Lindahl, E., Magnusson, U. and Erume, J., 2015. Prevalence of and factors associated with Brucella sero-positivity in cattle in urban and peri-urban Gulu and Soroti towns of Uganda.