Seroprevalence and Risk Factors Associated with <i>Brucella</i> Infection in Camels in the Puntland State of Somalia
Brucellosis is an important zoonotic disease caused by members of the genus <i>Brucella</i>. 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...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-07-01
|
| Series: | Veterinary Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/8/7/137 |
| _version_ | 1827686828774260736 |
|---|---|
| author | Ahmed Said Mohamud John Pilate Kothowa Ruth Lindizyani Mfune Melai Mubanga Jacques Godfroid John B. Muma |
| author_facet | Ahmed Said Mohamud John Pilate Kothowa Ruth Lindizyani Mfune Melai Mubanga Jacques Godfroid John B. Muma |
| author_sort | Ahmed Said Mohamud |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Brucellosis is an important zoonotic disease caused by members of the genus <i>Brucella</i>. 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-<i>Brucella</i> antibodies, while a structured questionnaire was used to collect epidemiological data. A total of 441 camel sera were screened against <i>Brucella</i> 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 <i>Brucella</i>-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 (<i>p</i> = 0.015; OR: 9.428; 95% CI: 1.539–57.755), camels from large herd sizes of >50 animals (<i>p</i> = 0.019; OR: 5.822; 95% CI: 1.336–25.371), and those in contact with small ruminants (<i>p</i> = 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 <i>Brucella</i> 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 <i>Brucella</i> strains in camels and investigating brucellosis in ruminants and humans are recommended in the study area. Validation of serological tests—including c-ELISA—for <i>Brucella</i> antibody detection in camels is also needed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:21:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f36d2bb59e15455db46d867c3c8c304a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2306-7381 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:21:17Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Veterinary Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-f36d2bb59e15455db46d867c3c8c304a2023-11-22T05:13:33ZengMDPI AGVeterinary Sciences2306-73812021-07-018713710.3390/vetsci8070137Seroprevalence and Risk Factors Associated with <i>Brucella</i> Infection in Camels in the Puntland State of SomaliaAhmed Said Mohamud0John Pilate Kothowa1Ruth Lindizyani Mfune2Melai Mubanga3Jacques Godfroid4John B. Muma5Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, ZambiaDepartment of Animal Health and Livestock Development, BLADD, Mpemba P.O. Box 34, MalawiDepartment of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, ZambiaDepartment of Environmental Health, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Eden University, Lusaka P.O. Box 37727, ZambiaDepartment of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, NorwayDepartment of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, ZambiaBrucellosis is an important zoonotic disease caused by members of the genus <i>Brucella</i>. 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-<i>Brucella</i> antibodies, while a structured questionnaire was used to collect epidemiological data. A total of 441 camel sera were screened against <i>Brucella</i> 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 <i>Brucella</i>-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 (<i>p</i> = 0.015; OR: 9.428; 95% CI: 1.539–57.755), camels from large herd sizes of >50 animals (<i>p</i> = 0.019; OR: 5.822; 95% CI: 1.336–25.371), and those in contact with small ruminants (<i>p</i> = 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 <i>Brucella</i> 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 <i>Brucella</i> strains in camels and investigating brucellosis in ruminants and humans are recommended in the study area. Validation of serological tests—including c-ELISA—for <i>Brucella</i> antibody detection in camels is also needed.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/8/7/137<i>Brucella</i>camelsseroprevalencePuntland State of Somalia |
| spellingShingle | Ahmed Said Mohamud John Pilate Kothowa Ruth Lindizyani Mfune Melai Mubanga Jacques Godfroid John B. Muma Seroprevalence and Risk Factors Associated with <i>Brucella</i> Infection in Camels in the Puntland State of Somalia Veterinary Sciences <i>Brucella</i> camels seroprevalence Puntland State of Somalia |
| title | Seroprevalence and Risk Factors Associated with <i>Brucella</i> Infection in Camels in the Puntland State of Somalia |
| title_full | Seroprevalence and Risk Factors Associated with <i>Brucella</i> Infection in Camels in the Puntland State of Somalia |
| title_fullStr | Seroprevalence and Risk Factors Associated with <i>Brucella</i> Infection in Camels in the Puntland State of Somalia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seroprevalence and Risk Factors Associated with <i>Brucella</i> Infection in Camels in the Puntland State of Somalia |
| title_short | Seroprevalence and Risk Factors Associated with <i>Brucella</i> Infection in Camels in the Puntland State of Somalia |
| title_sort | seroprevalence and risk factors associated with i brucella i infection in camels in the puntland state of somalia |
| topic | <i>Brucella</i> camels seroprevalence Puntland State of Somalia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/8/7/137 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ahmedsaidmohamud seroprevalenceandriskfactorsassociatedwithibrucellaiinfectionincamelsinthepuntlandstateofsomalia AT johnpilatekothowa seroprevalenceandriskfactorsassociatedwithibrucellaiinfectionincamelsinthepuntlandstateofsomalia AT ruthlindizyanimfune seroprevalenceandriskfactorsassociatedwithibrucellaiinfectionincamelsinthepuntlandstateofsomalia AT melaimubanga seroprevalenceandriskfactorsassociatedwithibrucellaiinfectionincamelsinthepuntlandstateofsomalia AT jacquesgodfroid seroprevalenceandriskfactorsassociatedwithibrucellaiinfectionincamelsinthepuntlandstateofsomalia AT johnbmuma seroprevalenceandriskfactorsassociatedwithibrucellaiinfectionincamelsinthepuntlandstateofsomalia |