Sero-epidemiology and associated risk factors of brucellosis among sheep and goat population in the mid southern Nepal: A comparative study

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Background Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease of animals and humans caused by the Brucella spps. In Nepal, the presence of brucellosis in small ruminants, e.g., sheep and goats, has impacted the farmers' livelihood and people's food safety. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Rupandehi districts of Nepal to the discover the seroepidemiology and associated risk factors of brucellosis in sheep and goat population. Altogether, 19 sheep and 60 goat farms located in the districts' local units were visited, and the owners were interviewed to get the information on animal characteristics, management, and movement patterns. Three hundred fifty-seven serum samples (80 sheep and 277 goat’s samples) were collected from selected herd based on the probability proportional to their sizes. Each serum sample was tested for Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and ELISA to estimate the seropositivity. Bivariate analysis followed by multivariable logistic regression was applied to calculate corresponding odds ratios of each variable associated with the brucellosis. Results Out of 80 sheep samples, 12 (15%; 95%CI: 8.79%-24.41%, P&lt;0.001) and out of 277 goat samples 3 (1.1%; 0.37%-3.14%, P&lt;0.001) were tested positive to brucellosis. Age of greater than 1.5 years (OR= 6.39, 95%CI: 1.23, 54.67, p= 0.04) was identified as the significant risk factor for brucellosis in sheep population. While in the goat population, none of the variables were identified as the significant risk factors in multivariable regression analysis. However, the goat from the frequent grazing herds had borderline significance (OR = 8.81, 95%CI: 0.44, 174.56, p&lt;0.15). It might be because of the regular movement of sheep herds that get mixed up with the goat populations. Conclusion The study provides evidence that the burden of brucellosis in sheep is significantly higher than goats. The brucellosis control program in sheep should be applied immediately, as the contiguous herds of sheep and goats keep mixing while grazing and selling. Also, the strict biosecurity and biosafety measures should be implemented among the sheepherders to prevent infection of Brucella in them. We suggest further study on both small ruminants and the sheep owners to reveal the transmission dynamics through one health approach.</jats:p>