Nguna Joyce, Dione Michel, Apamaku Micheal, Majalija Samuel, Mugizi Denis Rwabita, Odoch Terence, Kato Charles Drago, Tumwine Gabriel, Kabaasa John David, Curtis Kellie, Graham Michael, Ejobi Francis, Graham Thomas
College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University PO Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.
Ministry of Health, Uganda.
Pan Afr Med J. 2019 Jun 11;33:99. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2019.33.99.16960. eCollection 2019.
The burden of brucellosis among smallholder farmers is poorly-documented in Uganda. The disease burden is likely to be high, given the high levels of endemicity, lots of exposures and due to lack of control measures. In order to designate appropriate control measures, the magnitude and risk factors for brucellosis need to be known. We established the burden of and risk factors for seropositivity in cattle, goats, and humans in Iganga district, eastern Uganda.
A cross-sectional study was conducted in in Kigulamo Parish, Iganga District. We enrolled 226 households and administered a structured questionnaire to heads of households to capture data on socio-demographic characteristics, human brucellosis-related risk factors, and livestock farming practices. Human, cattle, and goat blood samples were collected and tested serologically using commercial indirect-ELISA kits manufactured by USDA, USA.
Of 451 human blood samples, 20 (4.4%) were positive. Among 345 cattle blood samples, 4 (1.2%) were positive and among 351 goat blood samples, one (0.3%) was positive. Persons who reported consuming locally-made dairy products had 4 times higher odds of seropositivity (OR = 4.0, CI = 1.14-14.03, p = 0.031) than those who did not. None of the risk factors we asked about were significantly associated with seropositivity in cattle and goats.
The seroprevalence of brucellosis in humans in smallholder households in Kigulamo was relatively low and associated with consumption of locally made dairy products. No risk factors were significantly associated with seropositivity in livestock, likely due to the small number of seropositive animals. We recommend a One Health approach to control brucellosis simultaneously in animals and humans needed to sustainably reduce the burden of brucellosis in Uganda and beyond.
乌干达小农户中布鲁氏菌病的负担记录不足。鉴于该病的高流行程度、大量暴露情况以及缺乏控制措施，疾病负担可能很高。为了制定适当的控制措施，需要了解布鲁氏菌病的规模和风险因素。我们确定了乌干达东部伊甘加区牛、山羊和人类血清阳性的负担及风险因素。
在伊甘加区的基古拉莫教区进行了一项横断面研究。我们纳入了226户家庭，并向户主发放了一份结构化问卷，以收集社会人口学特征、人类布鲁氏菌病相关风险因素和畜牧养殖做法的数据。采集了人类、牛和山羊的血样，并使用美国农业部生产的商用间接ELISA试剂盒进行血清学检测。
在451份人类血样中，20份（4.4%）呈阳性。在345份牛血样中，4份（1.2%）呈阳性，在351份山羊血样中，1份（0.3%）呈阳性。报告食用当地生产乳制品的人血清阳性几率比未食用者高4倍（比值比=4.0，置信区间=1.14-14.03，p=0.031）。我们询问的风险因素均与牛和山羊的血清阳性无显著关联。
基古拉莫小农户家庭中人类布鲁氏菌病的血清阳性率相对较低，且与食用当地生产的乳制品有关。没有风险因素与家畜的血清阳性显著相关，可能是因为血清阳性动物数量较少。我们建议采用“同一健康”方法，同时控制动物和人类中的布鲁氏菌病，以可持续地减轻乌干达及其他地区的布鲁氏菌病负担。
