title: Seroprevalence of Brucellosis and Q-Fever in Southeast Ethiopian Pastoral Livestock.
abstract: To assess seroprevalences ofBrucellaandC. burnetiiin pastoral livestock in southeast Ethiopia, a cross-sectional study was carried out in three livestock species (cattle, camels and goats). The study was conducted from July 2008 to August 2010, and eight pastoral associations (PAs) from the selected districts were included in the study. Sera from a total of 1830 animals, comprising 862 cattle, 458 camels and 510 goats were screened initially with Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) forBrucella. All RBPT positive and 25% of randomly selected negative sera were further tested by ELISA. These comprise a total of 460 animals (211 cattle, 102 camels and 147 goats). Out of sera from total of 1830 animals, 20% were randomly selected (180 cattle, 90 camels and 98 goats) and tested forC. burnetiiusing ELISA. The seroprevalences ofBrucellawas 1.4% (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.8-2.6), 0.9% (95% CI, 0.3-2.7)b and 9.6% (95% CI, 5.2-17.1) in cattle, camels and goats, respectively. Goats and older animals were at higher risk of infection (OR=7.3, 95% CI, 2.8-19.1) and (OR=1.7 95% CI, 0.9-2.9), respectively. Out of 98 RBPT negative camel sera, 12.0% were positive for ELISA. The seroprevalences ofC. burnetiiwere 31.6% (95% CI, 24.7-39.5), 90.0% (95% CI, 81.8-94.7) and 54.2% (95% CI, 46.1-62.1) in cattle, camels and goats, respectively. We found positive animals forC. burnetiitest in all tested PAs for all animal species. Being camel and older animal was a risk factor for infection (OR=19.0, 95% CI, 8.9-41.2) and (OR=3.6, 95% CI, 2.0-6.6), respectively. High seropositivity ofC. burnetiiin all livestock species tested and higher seropositive in goats forBrucella, implies risks of human infection by both diseases. Thus, merit necessity of further study of both diseases in animals and humans in the area.
authors.affiliation: Bule Hora University, P.O. Box 144, Bule Hora, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Balako
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gumi
authors.affiliation: Armauer Hansen Research Institute, P.O. Box 1005, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Rebuma
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Firdessa
authors.affiliation: Armauer Hansen Research Institute, P.O. Box 1005, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yamuah
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 34, Debrezeit, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Teshale
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sori
authors.affiliation: Jimma University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, P. O. Box 307, Jimma, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Tadele
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tolosa
authors.affiliation: Armauer Hansen Research Institute, P.O. Box 1005, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aseffa
authors.affiliation: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland ; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zinsstag
authors.affiliation: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland ; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schelling
keywords: Brucellosis; Pastoral livestock; Q-fever; Seroprevalence; Southeast Ethiopia