SEROPREVALENCE OF BRUCELLA, KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES OF SMALL RUMINANT STAKEHOLDERS IN KADUNA NORTH AND SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
SEROPREVALENCE OF BRUCELLA, KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES OF SMALL RUMINANT STAKEHOLDERS IN KADUNA NORTH AND SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
2016-07
Authors
YAKUBU, Yusuf Barry
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Abstract
Brucellosis is an infectious disease of domestic and wild animals and one of the commonest
zoonosis caused by a facultative, Gram-negative, coccobacilli and intracellular bacteria of
the genus Brucella. A seroprevalence survey of Brucella, knowledge and practices of small
ruminants stakeholders was carried out in Kaduna North and South LGAs of Kaduna State,
Nigeria. A total of 1,256 serum samples from 696 goats and 560 sheep were used to
evaluate for Brucella antibodies using Modified Rose Bengal Plate Test (M-RBPT) with B.
melitensis antigen and Serum Agglutination Test with ethylene diaminotetraacetic acid
(SAT-EDTA). Also, 66 structured questionnaires were used to determine the knowledge and
practices of livestock owners in the study areas. Similarly, 54 structured questionnaires were
also administered to human medical professionals to determine their knowledge of
brucellosis in humans. The result revealed a Brucella seroprevalence of 8.49 % and 14.85%
by M–RBPT and SAT–EDTA in respectively goats, and 9.11% and 17.12% by M–RBPT
and SAT–EDTA in respectively sheep. The seroprevalence varied between the two LGAs
and between goats and sheep in each LGA. In goats a seroprevalence of 15.12% was
recorded in Kaduna North LGA while 14.5% seroprevalence of was recorded for Kaduna
South LGA using SAT–EDTA. The difference in seroprevalence between goats and sheep
was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Of the 66 structured questionnaires for the livestock owners, 49 (74.24 %) of the respondents indicated having knowledge about
brucellosis in animals and of this number, 2 (3.03 %) indicated the media as source of their
information (knowledge) of the disease, while 27 (40.91 %) and 19 (28.79 %) other respondents indicated their source of knowledge of brucellosis in animals to be farmers and
veterinary professionals respectively.
All the 54 (100%) human medical profession personnel’s interviewed indicated having
heard of brucellosis in humans but none of them (0%) had ever encountered the disease in
the course of their practice. Regarding knowledge of brucellosis as zoonotic, 42 (77.78%) of
the human medical professionals reported knowing brucellosis as a zoonotic disease. In
addition 40 (74.10%) of the human medical professionals indicated knowing brucellosis to
cause abortion in humans. This study revealed that Brucella organism is circulating in small
ruminants in the study areas, and also, there is awareness of the disease problem in animals
and human beings by the livestock owners and human medical professionals in the study
areas. Policy makers in both the human and livestock sectors therefore, need to embark on
measures to prevent the occurrence as well as the spread of brucellosis among animals and
subsequent transmission to the human populace.
Description
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD
OF THE
DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN FOOD ANIMAL MEDICINE
DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,
ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
SEROPREVALENCE,, BRUCELLA,, KNOWLEDGE,, PRACTICES,, SMALL RUMINANT STAKEHOLDERS,, KADUNA NORTH,, SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS,, KADUNA STATE,, NIGERIA