Skip to main content
Log in

A comparative study of the seroprevalence of brucellosis in commercial and small-scale mixed dairy–beef cattle enterprises of Lusaka province and Chibombo district, Zambia

  • Original Research
  • Published:
Tropical Animal Health and Production Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2007 and February 2008 to estimate seroprevalence of brucellosis and identify risk factors associated with Brucella infections in commercial cattle in three districts of Lusaka province (Chongwe, Luangwa, and Kafue; n = 849) and in one rural district from the Central province (n = 48). A total of 897 serum samples were randomly collected from 55 farms along with animal-level data such as sex, age, and parity. Sera were screened for presence of anti-Brucella antibodies using the Rose Bengal test, and positive samples were confirmed using competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. At the animal level, seroprevalence was estimated at 7.9% (95% CI = 4.4–11.4%) in the Lusaka province and 18.7% (95% CI = 7.5–29.9%) for Chibombo district. Brucellosis seroprevalence varied according to district, with Chongwe district recording the highest compared to other districts. Seroprevalence also varied according to sex with bulls (n = 96) having higher seroprevalence (12.5%; 95% CI = 3.8–21.1%) compared to females (8.1%; 95% CI = 4.6–11.6). Similarly, seroprevalence varied according to age groups, with the age category 1–4 years recording the highest (10.7%). The study recorded relatively low Brucella seroprevalence in commercial farms in Lusaka, compared to the traditional small-scale farms. We suggest that testing and stamping out of infected animals is likely to improve the situation and significantly reduce the public health risk associated with Brucella infections in animals.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

c-ELISA:

Competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

RBT:

Rose Bengal test

Se:

Sensitivity

Sp:

Specificity

ZNFU:

Zambia National Farmers Union

References

  • Ahmadu, A., Sikazwe, M.S., Sakala, R., Pandey, G.S., 1999. Seroprevalence of brucellosis in cattle at Lusaka abattoirs, Bull. Anim. Health Prod., 47, 119–121

    Google Scholar 

  • Dohoo, I., Martin, W., Stryhn, H., 2003. Veterinary Epidemiologic Research. (AVC Inc., Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island)

  • Gul, S.T., Khan, A., 2007. Epidemiology and Epizootology of Brucellosis: A review, Pakistan Veterinary Journal, 27, 145–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Jordan, D. 1995. Herdacc: A programme for calculating herd level (aggregate) sensitivity and specificity (Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada)

  • Mainar-Jaime, R.C., Munoz, P.M., de Miguel, M.J., Grillo, M.J., Marin, C.M., Moriyon, I., Blasco, J.M., 2005. Specificity dependence between serological tests for diagnosing bovine bucellosis in Brucella-free farms showing false positive serological reactions due to Yersinia enterocolitica O:9, Canadian Veterinary Journal-Revue Veterinaire Canadienne, 46, 913–916

    Google Scholar 

  • Matope, G., Bhebhe, E., Muma, J.B., Lund, A., Skjerve, E., 2010a. Herd-level factors for Brucella seropositivity in cattle reared in smallholder dairy farms of Zimbabwe, Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 94, 213–221

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Matope, G., Bhebhe, E., Muma, J.B., Lund, A., Skjerve, E., 2010b. Risk factors for Brucella spp. infection in smallholder household herds, Epidemiology and Infection (In Press). doi:SO950268810000968a.

  • Maurin, M., 2005. Brucellosis at the dawn of the 21st century, Medicine Et Maladies Infecteuses, 35, 6–16

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McDermott, J.J., Arimi, S.M., 2002. Brucellosis in Sub-Saharan Africa: epidemiology, control and impact, Veterinary Microbiology, 90, 111–134

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muma, J.B., Godfroid, J., Samui, K.L., Skjerve, E., 2007a. The role of Brucella infection in abortions among traditional cattle reared in proximity to wildlife on the Kafue flats of Zambia, Revue scientifique et technique (International Office of Epizootics), 26, 721–730

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Muma, J.B., Samui, K.L., Munyeme, M., Lund, A., Nielsen, K., Chimana, H., Chisenga, C., Skjerve, E., 2008. Brucellosis in rural communities in Zambia and factors associated with increased anti-Brucella spp. antibody presence, UNZA Journal of Science and Technology, 12, 9–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Muma, J.B., Samui, K.L., Oloya, J., Munyeme, M., Skjerve, E., 2007b. Risk factors for brucellosis in indigenous cattle reared in livestock-wildlife interface areas of Zambia, Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 80, 306–317

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muma, J.B., Samui, K.L., Siamdaala, V.M., Oloya, J., Matope, G., Omer, M.K., Munyeme, M., Mubita, C., Skjerve, E., 2006. Prevalence of antibodies to Brucella spp.and individual risk factors in traditional cattle, goats and sheep reared in livestock-wildlife interface areas of Zambia, Tropical Animal Health and Production, 38, 195–206

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muma, J.B., Toft, N., Oloya, J., Lund, A., Nielsen, K., Samui, K., Skjerve, E., 2007c. Evaluation of three serological tests for brucellosis in naturally infected cattle using latent class analysis, Veterinary Microbiology, 125, 187–192

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen, K., Gall, D., Jolley, M., Leishman, G., Balsevicius, S., Smith, P., Nicoletti, P., Thomas, F., 1996. A homogeneous fluorescence polarization assay for detection of antibody to Brucella abortus, Journal of Immunological Methods, 195, 161–168

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • OIE, 2008. Manual of the Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestial animals, Vol 1, 5th Edition (Office International Des Epizooties, Paris, France).

  • Omer, M.K., Skjerve, E., Woldehiwet, Z., Holstad, G., 2000. Risk factors for Brucella spp. infection in dairy cattle farms in Asmara, State of Eritrea, Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 46, 257–265

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Silva, I., Dangola, A., Kulachelvy, K., 2000. Seroepidemiology of Brucella abortus in bovids in Sri Lanka, Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 46, 51–59

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge members of the staff at the School of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Zambia for their contributions. We are grateful to the Norwegian Council for Higher Education, Programme for Development Research and Education (NUFU), which provided funds to supplement this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to John Bwalya Muma.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chimana, H.M., Muma, J.B., Samui, K.L. et al. A comparative study of the seroprevalence of brucellosis in commercial and small-scale mixed dairy–beef cattle enterprises of Lusaka province and Chibombo district, Zambia. Trop Anim Health Prod 42, 1541–1545 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-010-9604-4

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-010-9604-4

Keywords

Navigation