Epidemiological and zoonotic surveillance of brucellosis in Beni-Suef governorate

Abstract EN

-A cross-sectional study was carried out in a village in Beni-Suef Governorate in the Upper Egypt from August 2018 till February 2019.

A total of 1121 animals (574 cows and 547 buffaloes) and 600 human serum samples were examined for brucellosis using buffered acidified plate antigen test (BAPAT), rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) and Complement fixation test (CFT).

Statistical analysis was applied using Chi-square and IBM® SPSS statistic.

The results of BAPAT, RBPT, and CFT were 8.71%, 8.36%, and 8.36% respectively in examined cows samples and were 8.23%, 7.86%, and 7.68% respectively in examined buffaloes samples with Odds ratio (OR) of 1.067, 1.071, and 1.096 respectively showing the same chance and susceptibility of both species to be infected.

Where human sera gave 6.5%, 6.3%, and 6.3%, respectively.

Considering the human occupation, it was with highly significant value (Chi-square=49.23 and P=0.001) representing a risk factor with the most predominant of butchers and abattoir workers who gave 22.22% positives with Odds of infection=0.286 for all used tests.

Followed by veterinarians & veterinary attendants and farmers & householders (14.28% and 10.24%) positives with Odds of infection (0.167 and 0.114) respectively for all used tests.

In relation to the age groups showed a significant value (Chi-square=9.69 and P=0.046) for all used tests expressing that the age acted as a risk factor.

Ages of (36-45 years) appeared to be the most group at the risk (Odds of infection=0.1206) than younger or/and older ones.

Conclusively, brucellosis is endemic at high levels among the large ruminants in Beni-Suef Governorate in the Upper Egypt.

There was an urgent need for implementing a proper control program for bovine brucellosis and more attention should be paid towards improving the animal health delivery system in those governorates that are large in size and share borders with other countries.

The need for reinforcement of the integrated "One Health" approach.

Further studies on the causative agent isolation and identification should be needed.