Sero-prevalence of bovine brucellosis and its risk factors in Jimma zone of Oromia Region, South-western Ethiopia

Abstract

A cross sectional sero-prevalence study was conducted on 1,595 cattle in Jimma zone, Ethiopia to investigate the status of bovine brucellosis and identify potential risk factors. Sera samples were analyzed using Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and Complement Fixation Test (CFT). The overall individual and herd level sero-prevalences were 3.1% (n = 1,595) and 15.0% (n = 227), respectively. The sero-prevalence of bovine brucellosis at individual animal level was significantly higher in non-pregnant (11.18%) than pregnant (2.77%) and lactating (22.35%) than non-lactating animals (2.46%). Moreover, significantly higher sero-prevalence was observed in herds of larger sizes. Individual animal sero-prevalence was also positively associated with the occurrence of abortion (26.98 and 1.54% in those with and without previous history of abortion, respectively). Generally, the sero-prevalence of bovine brucellosis found in Jimma area was not high and the sero-prevalence was closely associated with some of the risk factors considered at individual animal and herd level.