title: An abattoir survey of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia lesions in slaughtered cattle in selected districts in Northern Tanzania.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish and estimate incidence of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), using abattoir survey as a diagnostic tool in slaughtered cattle in Northern Tanzania.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 4 460 cattle were slaughtered in five abattoirs in 3 northern zone regions (Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Tanga) during the period of January to May 2004. They were examined ante-mortem for 'pneumonia signs', and 'characteristic contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) lung lesions'.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-one (0.91%) of the slaughtered cattle, the majority of which were Tanzania short horn zebu, had gross lung lesions suggestive of CBPP. The prevalence of lesions was significantly (P<0.05) higher in Karatu abattoir compared to others. No animal was detected to have lesion in Bomang' ombe abattoir. The most observed pneumonic signs included labored breathing (90%), dry cough (57%) and mucopurulent nasal discharge (47%). The gross characteristic CBPP pathological lesion, frequently encountered was left lung lesion (47%), pinkish lung (71%) and pleural adhesion (98%). Epidemiological reports show that the CBPP reported outbreaks increased from 19 in 2002, 65 in 2003 and 18 in 2004 (January-March). The corresponding number of reported deaths increased from 137 in 2002, 269 in 2003 and 77 in 2004 (January-March).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It's concluded from this study that CBPP is a problem in spite of the extensive awareness and vaccination campaigns. Nevertheless, a continued surveillance programme including routine checks of all cattle carcasses at the abattoir and subsequent epidemiological investigation of suspected cases are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Investigation Centre (VIC), Box 1068, Arusha, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Swai
authors.forename: Isidory
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mwezimpya
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ulicky
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mbise
authors.forename: Winford
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Moshy
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015994:Incidence; D011002:Pleuropneumonia, Contagious / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D062486:Public Health Surveillance; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Abattoir; Bovine pleuropneumonia; Prevalence estimates; Slaughtered cattle; Tanzania