Original Research

Prevalence of brucellosis in dairy cattle from the main dairy farming regions of Eritrea

Massimo Scacchia, Andrea Di Provvido, Carla Ippoliti, Uqbazghi Kefle, Tesfaalem T. Sebhatu, Annarita D’Angelo, Fabrizio De Massis
Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research | Vol 80, No 1 | a448 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ojvr.v80i1.448 | © 2013 Massimo Scacchia, Andrea Di Provvido, Carla Ippoliti, Uqbazghi Kefle, Tesfaalem T. Sebhatu, Annarita D’Angelo, Fabrizio De Massis | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 08 June 2012 | Published: 23 April 2013

About the author(s)

Massimo Scacchia, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale’, Teramo, Italy
Andrea Di Provvido, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale’, Teramo, Italy
Carla Ippoliti, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale’, Teramo, Italy
Uqbazghi Kefle, Veterinary Services, Asmara, Eritrea
Tesfaalem T. Sebhatu, National Animal and Plant Health Laboratory, Asmara, Eritrea
Annarita D’Angelo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale’, Teramo, Italy
Fabrizio De Massis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale’, Teramo, Italy

Abstract

In order to get a reliable estimate of brucellosis prevalence in Eritrean dairy cattle, a cross-sectional study was carried out in 2009. The survey considered the sub-population of dairy cattle reared in modern small- and medium-sized farms. Samples were screened with the Rose Bengal test (RBT) and positive cases were confirmed with the complement fixation test (CFT). A total of 2.77%(417/15 049; Credibility Interval CI: 2.52% – 3.05%) of the animals tested in this study were positive for antibodies to Brucellaspecies, with a variable and generally low distribution of positive animals at regional level. The highest seroprevalence was found in the Maekel region (5.15%; CI: 4.58% – 5.80%), followed by the Debub (1.99%; CI: 1.59% – 2.50%) and Gash-Barka (1.71%; CI: 1.34% – 2.20%) regions. Seroprevalence at sub-regional levels was also generally low, except for two sub-regions of Debub and the sub-region Haicota from the Gash-Barka region. Seroprevalence was high and more uniformly distributed in the Maekel region, namely in the Asmara, Berik and Serejeka sub-regions. Considering the overall low brucellosis prevalence in the country, as identified by the present study, a brucellosis eradication programme for dairy farms using a test-and-slaughter policy would be possible. However, to encourage the voluntary participation of farmers to the programme and to raise their awareness of the risks related to the disease for animals and humans, an extensive public awareness campaign should be carefully considered, as well as strict and mandatory dairy movement control.

Keywords

Brucellosis; Epidemiology; Eritrea; Dairy cattle; Zoonosis

Metrics

Total abstract views: 6785
Total article views: 14391

 

Crossref Citations

1. Prevalence of brucellosis and associated risk factors in dairy cattle in Maekel and Debub Regions, Eritrea
Ghebremeskel Habteyohannes Efrem, Bereket Mihreteab, Michael K. Ghebremariam, Tekeste Okbamichael, Yosief Ghebresilasie, Siobhan M. Mor, Gezahegne Mamo
Frontiers in Veterinary Science  vol: 10  year: 2023  
doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1177572

2. Seroprevalence of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis and brucellosis and their effect on reproductive performance of dairy cattle
Muleta Tadeg Wedajo, Lemma Alemayehu, Yilma Tefera, Asgedom Hagos, Amare Reda Abadi
Journal of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health  vol: 13  issue: 2  first page: 106  year: 2021  
doi: 10.5897/JVMAH2020.0889

3. Prevalence of brucellosis in livestock keepers and domestic ruminants in Baringo County, Kenya
Peter N. Lokamar, Moses A. Kutwah, Elly O. Munde, Dickens Oloo, Harrysone Atieli, Sussy Gumo, James M. Akoko, Collins Ouma, M Abdullah Yusuf
PLOS Global Public Health  vol: 2  issue: 8  first page: e0000682  year: 2022  
doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000682

4. Bovine Brucellosis and Its Public Health Significance in Ethiopia
Gashaw Adane Erkyihun, Fikru Regassa Gari, Gezahegne Mamo Kassa
Zoonoses  vol: 2  issue: 1  year: 2022  
doi: 10.15212/ZOONOSES-2022-0005

5. Unveiling the epidemiology and community perspectives on bovine brucellosis in North Shewa, Central Highlands of Ethiopia
Aweke Engdawork, Abdela Bulbula, Awoke Melak, Haileleul Negussie
Scientific Reports  vol: 15  issue: 1  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-83866-7

6. Sero‐prevalence and risk factors associated with brucellosis in dairy cattle of Sylhet District, Bangladesh: A cross‐sectional study
Nirmalendu Deb Nath, Syed Sayeem Uddin Ahmed, Vashkar Malakar, Tanimul Hussain, Liton Chandra Deb, Suman Paul
Veterinary Medicine and Science  vol: 9  issue: 3  first page: 1349  year: 2023  
doi: 10.1002/vms3.1100

7. Seroprevalence of Brucellosis in Buffalo Worldwide and Associated Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Jun-Feng Shi, Qing-Long Gong, Bo Zhao, Bao-Yi Ma, Zi-Yang Chen, Yang Yang, Yu-Han Sun, Qi Wang, Xue Leng, Ying Zong, Jian-Ming Li, Rui Du
Frontiers in Veterinary Science  vol: 8  year: 2021  
doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.649252

8. Dairy farmers’ knowledge about milk-borne zoonosis in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa
Yanga Simamkele Diniso, Ishmael Festus Jaja
Italian Journal of Food Safety  year: 2024  
doi: 10.4081/ijfs.2024.11080

9. Brucellosis seroprevalence in dairy cattle in China during 2008–2018: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Xuhua Ran, Jiajia Cheng, Miaomiao Wang, Xiaohong Chen, Haoxian Wang, Yu Ge, Hongbo Ni, Xiao-Xuan Zhang, Xiaobo Wen
Acta Tropica  vol: 189  first page: 117  year: 2019  
doi: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2018.10.002

10. A retrospective sero-epidemiological survey of bovine brucellosis on commercial and communal farming systems in Namibia from 2004 to 2018
Oscar Madzingira, Folorunso Oludayo Fasina, Erick Kandiwa, Albertina Musilika-Shilongo, Frank Chitate, Henriette van Heerden
Tropical Animal Health and Production  vol: 52  issue: 6  first page: 3099  year: 2020  
doi: 10.1007/s11250-020-02332-4

11. Brucellosis and One Health: Inherited and Future Challenges
Ignacio Moriyón, José María Blasco, Jean Jacques Letesson, Fabrizio De Massis, Edgardo Moreno
Microorganisms  vol: 11  issue: 8  first page: 2070  year: 2023  
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11082070