Study on the prevalence of Foot and Mouth Disease in Borana and Guji Zones , Southern Ethiopia

A cross sectional study was conducted on Borana plateau and Guji highlands of southern Ethiopia to determine the prevalence of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in bovine species. Seroprevalence investigation was performed using 3ABCELISA technique. The result indicated that the overall prevalence of Foot and Mouth Disease was 24.6 % (113/460). Significantly higher prevalence was recorded in Borana 53.6 %( 82/153) compared to Guji 10.1 %( 31/307). From the various risk factors, geographical distribution (χ2=104.26, P<0.05) and age (χ2=6.68, P<0.05) were seen to be significantly associated with the seroprevalence. The result of this study indicated that FMD is highly prevalent in lowland area (Borana) than highland (Guji) due to contact of different origin cattle in search of feed and water. The presence of higher prevalence of Foot and Mouth Disease in pastoralists' cattle of the area warrants further investigation and characterization of the circulating virus serotype to apply effective control and prevention measures.


Introduction
and the morbidity rates approximate 100%.The disease is rarely fatal except in young animals (Kahn Foot and mouth Disease, which is also known as and Scottline, 2005).aphtous fever (Kahrs, 2001), is a major global animal FMD has a great potential for causing severe health problem (Murphy et al., 1999).It is the most economic loss in susceptible cloven-hoofed animals contagious trans-boundary animal disease (TAD) (OIE, 2000).Greater losses can result from refusal of affecting cloven hoofed animals (FAO, 2007) FMD free countries to import livestock and livestock characterized by the formation of vesicles in the products from infected regions (Kahrs, 2001) Adult mouth, at coronary band and skin of interdigital cleft mortality is not very high but causes heavy economic (Radostits et al., 2000).
losses (loss of flesh, diminished milk production, Of the seven Foot and Mouth Disease Virus mastitis, calf mortality etc).This combined with the serotypes, O is the most worldwide encountered (Reid time and money spent treating animals and their long et al, 2002).Serotypes A &O, have the widest convalescence contributes to consider it the single distribution, occurring in Africa, Asia and South most important animal disease in a worldwide contest America.Types SAT1, 2 and 3 are currently restricted (Solomon, 1980).to Africa only and Asia1 to Asia (FAO, 2007).
There is no reliable figure for the prevalence of According to the office international des FMD in different countries.The disease generally epizootics (OIE), FMD ranks first among the occurs in the form of an outbreak that rapidly spread notifiable infectious diseases of animals (OIE, 2000).from herd to herd before it is controlled (Radostits et The disease is notoriously contagious that it can spread al., 2000).The disease is endemic in Ethiopia, the as much as 50(fifty) miles down wind from one main incidence being after the rainy season when outbreak area to another (Sainsbury, 2000).cattle are subjected to the stress of harvesting and Introduction of the virus types or subtypes to regions thrashing (Solomon, 1980).The occurrence of FMD in where they were previously absent lead to epidemics Ethiopia is increasing and in 1999 almost 10%of cattle of varying magnitude (Gibbs, 1981).When the disease were under risk of infection and in 2000 and 2001 a total of 27 and 88 disease outbreaks were reported breaks out in susceptible cattle, it spreads very rapidly (Esayas et al., 2005).maximum number required to determine the The most important resource in the prevention of prevalence in simple random sampling.The precision FMD is the informed animal owner or manager.was decided to be 5% at 95% confidence level.Thus, Livestock owners at all levels of production, dealers for sample size estimation the formula described by and traders should be familiarized with the basic Thrush field, 1995 was used.features of FMD, including the recognition of the Accordingly, the minimum sample size required essential signs of the disease, the need for urgent was 384, but 460 cattle from Borana and Guji areas action and how and where to seek help if they suspect were considered in the study of prevalence of FMD.

Study Design
the disease (FAO, 2002).Therefore, the objective of animals properly.After taking the sample code was The Borana, zone of pastoral system, covers a given to the tubes, which contain the sample.Then the vast lowland area in southern Ethiopia covering about blood was allowed to clot by placing it overnight at 95,000Km², which is located 567Km from Addis Ababa between 03°37' 23.8" to 05°02'52.4"North and room temperature.The serum was collected from the 37°56'49.4"to 39°01'101" East, in the Southern part of clotted blood and transported using an icebox to Ethiopia.The altitude ranges from 970 masl in the National Animal Health Diagnostic and Investigation south bordering Kenya to 1693 masl in the North east.Center (NAHDIC), Sebeta, then transferred into a The area receives mean annual rainfall of 600mm³ single sterile cryovials and labeled with specific laboratory number.The sera sample then stored at -with mean minimum and maximum annual 20ºc until laboratory investigation.temperatures of 19°c and 24°c respectively (Coppock, Laboratory Test: The SVANOVIR® Foot and Mouth 1994).The Borana zone is dominated by savannah Disease Virus 3ABC-Ab ELISA kit was designed to vegetation containing mixture of perennial and woody detect FMDV specific antibodies in bovine serum bush land.The major water sources are ponds and deep samples.The kit procedure was based on a solid phase wells during rainy and dry periods respectively indirect ELISA.In this procedure, samples were (Helland, 1997).Different ethnic groups inhabit the Borana zone.The most significant inhabitants belong exposed to non-infectious FMDV antigen (NSP to the various Oromo and Somali clans.Among the 3ABC) coated wells on micro titer plates.FMDV Oromo clans, the Guji Oromo settled in humid lands at antibodies (if present in the test sample) bind to the higher altitude.Guji is also study area, which is a antigen in the well.HRP conjugate added subsequently highland of southern Ethiopia borders with Borana.
forms a complex with the FMDV antibodies.Unbound Study Population: Study animals were selected from materials removed by rinsing before the addition of Borana pastoral cattle population in 6 districts of substrate solution.Subsequently a blue-green color namely: Bule Hora, Moyale, Abaya, Yabello, Galana develops which is due to the conversion of the and Dire and from Guji Zone cattle in 10 districts substrate by the conjugate.The reaction stopped by the namely: Bore, Adola, Wadara, Odo shakisa, Odoshakiso, addition of stop solution.The result can be read by a Liben, Uraga, Uraga dama, Kercha and Hanbela, from micro plate photometer, where the optical density which 153 and 307 animals are selected respectively.(OD) measured at 405nm.Approximately 14 animals from each PAs were Data analysis: The data collected was entered into selected randomly to be included in the study.M-Excel and coded for analysis.The laboratory Accordingly, 33PAs and 460 animals were included in investigation for prevalence results were analyzed the study.The study animals were not vaccinated for using statistical package for Intercooled STATA 7.1.FMD.
Variation of the prevalence between the two different Sample size determination: The sample size was geographical areas, Borana and Guji, was analyzed by estimated by assuming a prevalence of 50% to get the using chi-square (χ²) test.In all the analysis, confidence Cross sectional study: A cross sectional study was this study is to determine the prevalence of the disease undertaken from November 2007 to March 2008. in two different geographical areas of Oromiya region, During the laboratory work, a total of 460 sera samples Southern Ethiopia.collected from herds of Borana and Guji cattle were