Sero-prevalence of and risk factors for Brucellosis in sheep and goats in Gweri and Aukot in Soroti district, Uganda

Abstract

Brucellosis is a disease of economic importance in livestock and a public health concern in humans. It causes abortion among other signs in pregnant animals and therefore, causes losses in areas with large number of livestock. Soroti district has the highest number of ruminants in eastern Uganda and cases of abortion with retained placenta are continuously reported by the farmers. A cross-sectional study was conducted to establish sero-prevalence of brucellosis and the associated risk factors in sheep and goats from farms in Gweri and Aukot, Soroti district. A total of 450 sheep and goats’ sera samples from 40 herds were analysed for Brucella antibodies using Rose Bengal test and indirect ELISA at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resource, and Bio-Security (COVAB), Makerere University. A questionnaire composed of a blend of open- and closed-ended questions was administered to establish the risk factors associated with the disease. Sero-prevalence estimates were calculated and risk factors in individuals and herds/flocks were examined using bivariate and logistic regression analysis. The overall sero-prevalence of brucellosis in sheep and goats was 3.1% (OR=0.521; 95% CI, 0.172- 1.580) among individual animals and 17.5% (OR=0.816; 95% CI, 0.701-0.949) at flock level. Animals in Aukot were 8.96 times (OR=8.96; 95% CI: (1.163-69.17) more likely to be sero- positive compared to those in Gweri sub-county. Farms using communal males for breeding method were 9 times (OR, 9.23; 95% CI: 1.00-85.78) more likely to have Brucella sero-positive cases compared to their counterpart that used own males on the farm and this difference was significant (p=0.04). Therefore, using own males for breeding was protective (OR, 0.0436, 95% CI: 0.0023-0.8322). Farmers who had knowledge on brucellosis protected their animals from the infection (OR, 0.0147; 95% CI: 0.0008-0.2574) and this was significant (P=0.004). In conclusion, sero-prevalence of brucellosis in sheep and goats was low at 3.1% with risks factors being more among animals from Aukot sub county, among farmers who shared males for breeding and those who had poor knowledge of the disease in animals. Due to the public health and socio-economic concern of brucellosis, the government of Uganda should devise a national policy to eliminate the risk factors and sensitize all farmers about brucellosis for control and prevention of the disease in small ruminant.