Epidemiology of Brucella infection in the human, livestock and wildlife interface in the Katavi-Rukwa ecosystem, Tanzania
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Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMC Veterinary Research
Abstract
Background: Brucellosis is a zoonosis of public health importance worldwide. In Tanzania, the disease is
underreported due to insufficient awareness, inadequate diagnostic protocols, including lack of appropriate
reagents for diagnosis. Livestock and wildlife are considered potential sources of infection to humans; however, the
role played by these carriers in the epidemiology of the disease in the ecosystems in Tanzania is not fully
understood. The objective of this study was to establish the prevalence of anti-Brucella antibodies in humans,
wildlife and livestock; and molecular prevalence of Brucella spp in cattle and goats in the Katavi- Rukwa ecosystem.
Results: Anti-Brucella antibodies were detected in humans at 0.6 % (95 % CI: 0.1, 2.1 %); cattle at 6.8 % (95 % CI:
5.4, 8.5 %), goats at 1.6 % (95 % CI: 0.4, 4.1 %) and buffaloes at 7.9 % (95 % CI: 1.7, 21.4 %). One of the two
sampled lions tested positive. Cattle had a significantly higher prevalence of anti-Brucella antibodies as compared
to goats (P < 0.05). A significantly higher seroprevalence was found in female than in male cattle and in adult
than in young cattle (P < 0.05). There was an agreement of 95 and 89 % in cattle and goats, respectively, for the
Rose Bengal plate Test (RBPT) and Competitive Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (c-ELISA) in detecting
Brucella infection. Eight (3.5 %) out of 231 milk samples tested were positive for Brucella spp on Polymerase Chain
Reaction (PCR), and Brucella abortus biovar 1 was detected in cattle milk. However, no Brucella spp were detected
in goat milk.
Conclusion: This study has shown the presence of anti- Brucella antibodies in humans, livestock, and wildlife in
the Katavi- Rukwa ecosystem. Transmission of the infection between wildlife, livestock and humans is likely to
continue due to increasing human activities in the human wildlife interface. This information is an important
contribution to public health policy development in the human wildlife interface of the Katavi- Rukwa ecosystem.
Description
BMC Veterinary Research 2015, Vol. 11:189
Keywords
Brucella, Ecosystem, Interface, Epidemiology, RBPT, c-ELISA, PCR