Spatial sero‐prevalence of brucellosis in small ruminants of India: Nationwide cross‐sectional study for the year 2017–2018

Abstract

Brucellosis in small ruminants caused mainly due to Brucella melitensis is an important zoonotic disease characterized by abortion, retained placenta, infertility, orchitis, epididymitis and rarely arthritis. Small ruminants are the main source of economy for the rural and marginally poor farmers and brucellosis is resulting in huge economic losses due to abortions and infertility and causing public health concern among the small ruminant keepers. Bovine brucellosis control programme has been implemented in India and small ruminants are left out of the programme mainly due to paucity of brucellosis status. The present cross-sectional study based on stratified random sampling was undertaken during 2017-18 to provide the nationwide brucellosis seroprevalence in small ruminants. A total of 24,056 small ruminant serum samples (sheep samples = 8,103 [male-2,440 and female-5,663] and goat samples = 15,953 [male-4,331 and female-11,622]) sourced from 27 out of 29 states and two out of seven union territories (UTs), 350 districts of total 640 districts (54.68% of the Indian districts) and from 1,462 villages out of 6,40,867 villages (43.83% of the Indian villages).The serum samples were tested by indirect ELISA and overall brucellosis apparent and true prevalence of 7.45 (95% CI: 7.13-7.79) and 3.79 (95% CI: 3.44-4.17) was recorded. Significantly higher brucellosis sero-prevalence (p < .0001) was observed in sheep (11.55%) than goats (5.37%). Similarly, brucellosis seropositivity was highly significant in females compared to males in both sheep and goats. Countrywide, greater than 5% brucellosis sero-prevalence in sheep and goats was recorded in 14 and 10 states, respectively, indicating endemicity of the disease. The study provided the latest update on nationwide spatial sero-prevalence of small ruminant brucellosis which will aid government to strengthen regular surveillance and vaccination to reduce the disease burden and public health problems in the country.

Epidemiology of Brucellosis in Small Ruminants of Rural and Peri-Urban Areas of Multan, Pakistan

“…It was also revealed that difference in prevalence of brucellosis was nonsignificant between sheep and goat populations. Similar to our findings, Shome et al [ 9 ] also reported an apparent prevalence of 7.45% in small ruminants of our neighboring country, India, but contrary to our findings, they recorded significantly higher prevalence in sheep as compared to goats ( p < 0.0001). In contrast to our findings, some previous studies showed lower prevalence rates of small ruminant brucellosis such as 1.79% in Tselemti district, Northern Ethiopia [ 45 ], 1.8% in Debre Zeit and Modjo export abattoirs of Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia [ 46 ], 1.2% in Gambia [ 47 ], 5.1% in different farms of Punjab, Pakistan [ 36 ], 6.26% in Southeast Europe [ 48 ], 0.4% in Northwest Ethiopia [ 49 ], 3.4% in Quetta and its surrounding areas of Pakistan [ 50 ], 3.2% in Borena, Southern Ethiopia [ 51 ], and 4.5% in China [ 52 ].…”

“…In rare cases, it may also cause arthritis in small ruminants [ 41 ]. It has worldwide distribution and is endemic in many developing/underdeveloped countries including Pakistan [ 9 , 42 ]. In most of the developing countries like Pakistan, the small ruminants and their products play an important role in the national economy and also support millions of people living in rural and urban areas as the source of meat, milk, cheese, cream, yogurt, hooves, horns, and leather [ 43 ].…”

Genome Sequencing and Comparative Genomics of Indian Isolates of Brucella melitensis

“…Brucellosis caused by B. melitensis is one of the major zoonotic disease worldwide; hence, it requires early diagnosis and control. Brucellosis is endemic in India, and a nationwide survey (24,056 small ruminants tested) showed that there was an 11.55% sero-prevalence of brucellosis in sheep, while there was 5.37% sero-prevalence in goats ( Shome et al, 2020 ). The bacterial strain used in the present study (TN_CUL_1) was isolated from a sheep from Tamil Nadu, India.…”

Animal disease surveillance

“…To understand the seroprevalence and spatial distribution of Brucella in small ruminants, a nationwide seroscreening for brucellosis was conducted during 2017-2018. Using indirect ELISA, the overall apparent and true prevalence of brucellosis was 7.45 per cent [95% confidence interval (CI): 7.13-7.79] and 3.79 per cent (95% CI: 3.44-4.17), respectively, in small ruminants 16 .…”