Abstract:
Brucellosis is a highly contagious bacterial disease with major economic and public
health consequences. A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2023 to
July 2024 to estimate seroprevalence and assess the risk factors of brucellosis in small
ruminants in selected districts of West Omo and Kafa zone of southwestern Ethiopia.
A total of 552 (341 goats and 211 sheep) serum samples were collected from 80
flocks by simple random sampling method and two serological testing was performed
using a Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) for screening and indirect enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay (i -ELISA) for confirmation of small ruminant brucellosis
antibodies. The overall seroprevalence of brucellosis was 4.17% (95% CI 2.8 to 6.2)
at individual animal level and 20% (95% CI 12.7 to 30) at herd level. Multivariable
regression analysis showed that the odd of seropositivity in larger herds were 4.69
times greater than that of seropositivity in small herds
