Bovine brucellosis: seroprevalence, risk factors and assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practice of cattle owners in Lare and Jikawo districts of Gambella region, Ethiopia

BackgroundBovine brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that causes substantial economic losses and strongly impacts public health. Though it has been eradicated in many developed countries, it is still endemic in developing countries like Ethiopia. Methodology/principal findingsLare and Jikawo were the two districts of the Gambella Region selected purposively. Kebeles, study animals and peasant associations were randomly chosen. A total of 384 serum samples from 70 herds were collected and screened using Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and confirmed using Complement Fixation Test (CFT). A semi-structured questionnaire survey was used. The seroprevalence of brucellosis was summarized using descriptive statistics, and the association between risk factors, and seroprevalence of brucellosis was evaluated using logistic regression. The principal findings of the current study showed that individual and herd level seroprevalence of brucellosis using RBPT was 6.77% (26/384) and 24.29% (17/70), respectively, and the respective confirmation by CFT 3.13% (12/384) and 12.85% (9/70). Among the risk factors, herd size and the presence of other species had statistically significant associations (p<0.05) with Brucella seropositivity. Although the overall respondents knowledge, attitude, and practice were 66.4%, most were unaware that the disease was zoonotic, the ability of the disease to cause abortion, and the mode of the diseases transmission. Most respondents also had a poor attitude toward the mode of disease transmission, and they have been practicing risky practices that predisposed them to brucellosis. ConclusionThe overall seroprevalence of brucellosis and cattle owners knowledge, attitude, and practice in the current study were low. However, being a contagious disease, brucellosis can easily spread among cattle herds, and poses a public health risk., Therefore, improvement of cattle owners knowledge, attitude, and practice and characterization of circulating Brucella species in the study areas are needed to design evidence-based disease control measures. Author SummaryBovine brucellosis, is a bacterial disease caused by Brucella abortus, which primarily affect cattle. Although bovine brucellosis has been eradicated in many developed countries, it is endemic in Ethiopia. It is one of the most serious zoonotic diseases widely distributed and resulted in serious economic losses and public health impacts. Particularly in pastoral parts of Ethiopia, like the current study areas, factor such as limited veterinary services and education services, frequent movement of farmers from one place to another in search of feed and water for their animals facilitates disease transmission between animals and to human. Thus, it is necessary to assess the prevalence of the disease and awareness of the farmers about the disease in order to reinforce the existing disease control attempts in the country and reduce public risk. Serum from blood samples of cattle were tested using Rose Bengal Plate Test and Complement Fixation Test to detect the presence of Brucella antibody, which indicates the presence of bovine brucellosis in the areas. Moreover, farmers knowledge and practice regarding the disease information was assessed. The current study showed the presence of brucellosis and farmers had low knowledge, attitude and practice risky activities that predispose them to the disease.