Bovine Tuberculosis at the Wildlife-Livestock-Human Interface in Hamer Woreda, South Omo, Southern Ethiopia
Open Access
- 17 August 2010
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Public Library of Science (PLoS) in PLOS ONE
- Vol. 5 (8), e12205
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0012205
Abstract
Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is endemic in cattle in the Ethiopian Highlands but no studies have been done so far in pastoralists in South Omo. This study assessed the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) at an intensive interface of livestock, wildlife and pastoralists in Hamer Woreda (South Omo), Ethiopia. A cross-sectional survey including a comparative intradermal skin testing (CIDT) was conducted in 499 zebu cattle and 186 goats in 12 settlements. Sputum samples from 26 symptomatic livestock owners were cultured for TB. Fifty-one wildlife samples from 13 different species were also collected in the same area and tested with serological (lateral flow assay) and bacteriological (culture of lymph nodes) techniques. Individual BTB prevalence in cattle was 0.8% (CI: 0.3%–2%) with the >4 mm cut-off and 3.4% (CI: 2.1%–5.4%) with the >2 mm cut-off. Herd prevalence was 33.3% and 83% when using the >4 and the >2 mm cut-off respectively. There was no correlation between age, sex, body condition and positive reactors upon univariate analysis. None of the goats were reactors for BTB. Acid fast bacilli (AFB) were detected in 50% of the wildlife cultures, 79.2% of which were identified as Mycobacterium terrae complex. No M. bovis was detected. Twenty-seven percent of tested wildlife were sero-positive. Four sputum cultures (15.4%) yielded AFB positive colonies among which one was M. tuberculosis and 3 non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). The prevalence of M. avium-complex (MAC) was 4.2% in wildlife, 2.5% in cattle and 0.5% in goats. In conclusion, individual BTB prevalence was low, but herd prevalence high in cattle and BTB was not detected in goats, wildlife and humans despite an intensive contact interface. On the contrary, NTMs were highly prevalent and some Mycobacterium spp were more prevalent in specific species. The role of NTMs in livestock and co-infection with BTB need further research.Keywords
This publication has 34 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Burden of Mycobacterial Disease in Ethiopian Cattle: Implications for Public HealthPLOS ONE, 2009
- Risk factors of bovine tuberculosis in cattle in rural livestock production systems of EthiopiaPreventive Veterinary Medicine, 2009
- Animal-side serologic assay for rapid detection of Mycobacterium bovis infection in multiple species of free-ranging wildlifeVeterinary Microbiology, 2008
- Appraisal of Interpretation Criteria for the Comparative Intradermal Tuberculin Test for Diagnosis of Tuberculosis in Cattle in Central EthiopiaClinical and Vaccine Immunology, 2008
- High Prevalence and Increased Severity of Pathology of Bovine Tuberculosis in Holsteins Compared to Zebu Breeds under Field Cattle Husbandry in Central EthiopiaClinical and Vaccine Immunology, 2007
- Bovine tuberculosis in African buffaloes: observations regarding Mycobacterium bovis shedding into water and exposure to environmental mycobacteriaBMC Veterinary Research, 2007
- Investigating the feasibility of a passive tracking index for monitoring wildlife in the Lower Omo Valley, EthiopiaAfrican Journal of Ecology, 2006
- Bovine tuberculosis in southern African wildlife: a multi-species host–pathogen systemEpidemiology and Infection, 2006
- Mycobacterium bovis infection in wildlife in New ZealandTuberculosis, 2001
- Detection and identification of multiple mycobacterial pathogens by DNA amplification in a single tube.Genome Research, 1992