Prevalence of and factors associated with Brucella sero-positivity in cattle in urban and peri-urban Gulu and Soroti towns of Uganda

Thumbnail Image

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.