| Autor: |
Mohamud AS; Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, Zambia.; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Red Sea University, Galkayo RC2F+WC, Somalia., Kothowa JP; Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development, BLADD, Mpemba P.O. Box 34, Malawi., Mfune RL; Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, Zambia.; Department of Public Health, Michael Chilufya Sata School of Medicine, The Copperbelt University, Ndola P.O. Box 71769, Zambia., Mubanga M; Department of Environmental Health, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Eden University, Lusaka P.O. Box 37727, Zambia., Godfroid J; Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, Norway., Muma JB; Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, Zambia. |
| Abstrakt: |
Brucellosis is an important zoonotic disease caused by members of the genus Brucella . Camel brucellosis has been reported in almost all camel-rearing countries in Africa and Asia. A cross-sectional study was conducted between February 2020 and February 2021 in Galkayo, Garowe, and Bosaso districts in the Puntland State of Somalia to investigate the seroprevalence and risk factors of brucellosis in camels. A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA) was used to detect anti- Brucella antibodies, while a structured questionnaire was used to collect epidemiological data. A total of 441 camel sera were screened against Brucella antibodies. Thirty-one (7%; 95% CI: 4.8-9.8%) samples were positive, and thirteen (54.2%; 95% CI: 32.8-74.4%) out of the twenty-four farms sampled had at least one seropositive animal. Galkayo district had the highest number of Brucella -seropositive camels (10.3%), followed by Bosaso district (8.6%), while Garowe district had the lowest number of seropositive camels (1.4%). The binary logistic regression model revealed that camels in Galkayo district ( p = 0.015; OR: 9.428; 95% CI: 1.539-57.755), camels from large herd sizes of >50 animals ( p = 0.019; OR: 5.822; 95% CI: 1.336-25.371), and those in contact with small ruminants ( p = 0.011; OR: 10.941; 95% CI: 1.728-69.285) were significantly associated with seropositive cases of camel brucellosis in the Puntland State of Somalia. The present study shows that Brucella infections in camels are prevalent in the three districts covered by the study. This poses a public health risk, because milk from these camels is used for human consumption. Studies focusing on the isolation of Brucella strains in camels and investigating brucellosis in ruminants and humans are recommended in the study area. Validation of serological tests-including c-ELISA-for Brucella antibody detection in camels is also needed. |
