Open Access
Research (Published online: 09-11-2021)
3. Seroprevalence and risk factors for brucellosis in small ruminant flocks in Karnataka in the Southern Province of India
Krithiga Natesan, Triveni Kalleshamurthy, Mangadevi Nookala, Chaitra Yadav, Nagalingam Mohandoss, Somy Skariah, Swati Sahay, Bibek Ranjan Shome, Obli Rajendran Vinodh Kumar, Habibur Rahman and Rajeswari Shome
Veterinary World, 14(11): 2855-2862

Krithiga Natesan: Department of Bacteriology, Indian Council for Agricultural Research-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Triveni Kalleshamurthy: Department of Bacteriology, Indian Council for Agricultural Research-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Mangadevi Nookala: Department of Bacteriology, Indian Council for Agricultural Research-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Chaitra Yadav: Department of Bacteriology, Indian Council for Agricultural Research-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Nagalingam Mohandoss: Department of Bacteriology, Indian Council for Agricultural Research-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Somy Skariah: Department of Bacteriology, Indian Council for Agricultural Research-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Swati Sahay: Department of Bacteriology, Indian Council for Agricultural Research-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Bibek Ranjan Shome: Department of Bacteriology, Indian Council for Agricultural Research-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Obli Rajendran Vinodh Kumar: Division of Epidemiology, Indian Council for Agricultural Research-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Habibur Rahman: International Livestock Research Institute, New Delhi, India.
Rajeswari Shome: Department of Bacteriology, Indian Council for Agricultural Research-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

doi: www.doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2021.2855-2862

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Article history: Received: 30-05-2021, Accepted: 28-09-2021, Published online: 09-11-2021

Corresponding author: Rajeswari Shome

E-mail: rajeswarishome@gmail.com

Citation: Natesan K, Kalleshamurthy T, Nookala M, Yadav C, Mohandoss N, Skariah S, Sahay S, Shome BR, Kumar ORV, Rahman H, Shome R (2021) Seroprevalence and risk factors for brucellosis in small ruminant flocks in Karnataka in the Southern Province of India, Veterinary World, 14(11): 2855-2862.
Abstract

Background and Aim: Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease of high economic and public health importance in large and small ruminant populations worldwide. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors of brucellosis in small ruminants in organized farms in the southern region of India.

Materials and Methods: Farms exclusively rearing sheep and goats were selected based on the number of animals (small, medium, or large) and the location of the farm (urban, periurban, or rural). A total of 1499 serum samples; 1001 from sheeps and 498 from goats were sourced from six sheep and four goat farms and tested using Rose Bengal Plate and indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay tests.

Results: The apparent prevalence of brucellosis was higher in sheep (8.29%, 95% CI 6.7-10.1) than goats (5.82%, 95% CI 4.0-8.2). The true adjusted population level seroprevalence was also higher in sheep, at 7.7% (95% CI 6.0-9.6) than in goats, at 5.1% (95% CI 3.2-7.6). According to bivariate categorical analysis, six highly significant (p<0.001) animal- and farm-level risk factors for sheep were age, breed, number of lambings, history of abortion, rural farms, and presence of dogs on the farm. In goats, five significant risk factors were found: History of abortion, separate sheds, dogs on the farm, weekly veterinary consultation, and lack of brucellosis awareness. In a logistic regression model, abortion (OR adjusted 10.8, 95% CI 1.2-96.12), rural farms (OR adjusted 8.5, 95% CI 3.6-20.0), and absence of separate sheds on the farms (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1- 3.5) were found to be significant risk factors for ovine brucellosis.

Conclusion: The use of complementary measures to tackle the multiple animal- and farm-level risk factors may help to reduce the disease burden in the absence of a vaccination policy for small ruminants in India.

Keywords: brucellosis, goats, India, risk factors, sheep, seroprevalence.