Sero-Prevalence and Risk Factors of Small Ruminant Brucellosis in Selected Districts of West Omo and Kafa Zones, South Western Ethiopia

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