Original Research

Seroprevalence of brucellosis in communal and smallholder cattle farming in North West Province, South Africa

Bontsi Marumo, Tiny M. Hlokwe, Prudence N. Kayoka-Kabongo
Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research | Vol 90, No 1 | a2114 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ojvr.v90i1.2114 | © 2023 Bontsi Marumo, Tiny M. Hlokwe, Prudence N. Kayoka-Kabongo | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 29 March 2023 | Published: 26 December 2023

About the author(s)

Bontsi Marumo, Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Agricultural Research Council, Pretoria Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
Tiny M. Hlokwe, Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Agricultural Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa
Prudence N. Kayoka-Kabongo, Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa

Abstract

Brucellosis is an important bacterial zoonosis responsible for considerable economic losses in livestock and health-related burden worldwide. The objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of brucellosis in communal and smallholder cattle farming in four districts of the North West province of South Africa (Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, Ngaka Modiri Molema, Bojanala platinum and Dr Kenneth Kaunda districts). Seven hundred and seventy blood samples from farmed animals (n = 378) and abattoir-slaughtered animals (n = 392) were collected. In addition, milk samples (n = 22) were collected from lactating farmed cows. Rose Bengal test (RBT), complement fixation test (CFT) and milk ring test (MRT) were used to detect antibodies against Brucella species. The RBT showed a seroprevalence of 2% at 95% confidence interval (CI: 1.35–3.35), CFT confirmed an overall seroprevalence of 1.95% (95% CI: 1.14–3.12) for all four districts sampled. Although the seroprevalence of brucellosis was found to be low, the possibility of undetected cases of the disease could not be ruled out. Overall, the findings of this study confirmed that brucellosis is endemic in the surveyed areas of the North West province of South Africa.

Contribution: The outcome of this study will contribute to the National Brucellosis Project organised by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (2016–2026) to assist in the effective implementation of the disease control measures with a view to prevent further outbreaks in the country’s cattle population.


Keywords

brucellosis; B. abortus; South Africa; cattle; Rose Bengal test; RBT; complement fixation test; CFT; milk ring test; MRT; seroprevalence

Sustainable Development Goal

Goal 3: Good health and well-being

Metrics

Total abstract views: 1609
Total article views: 1134

 

Crossref Citations

1. Review of the Current Status on Ruminant Abortigenic Pathogen Surveillance in Africa and Asia
George Peter Semango, Joram Buza
Veterinary Sciences  vol: 11  issue: 9  first page: 425  year: 2024  
doi: 10.3390/vetsci11090425