SEROLOGICAL AND PARTICIPATORY STUDIES OF BRUCELLA INFECTIONS IN SMALL RUMINANTS IN KATSINA AND SOKOTO STATES, NIGERIA

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SEROLOGICAL AND PARTICIPATORY STUDIES OF BRUCELLA INFECTIONS IN SMALL RUMINANTS IN KATSINA AND SOKOTO STATES, NIGERIA

Abstract:

This study was set out to determine the sero-prevalence of small ruminants brucellosis and to draw spatial maps to show the distribution of Brucella melitensis infection by cELISA in Katsina and Sokoto States, Nigeria. Also, the pastoralists’ perception on the economics of animal species they kept, prevalence, signs and local perception of small ruminant diseases, traditional treatment and control methods of their ailments were investigated. Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Wards in the study areas were randomly selected. A total of 3,777 (2,066 and 1,711 from Katsina and Sokoto States respectively) blood samples were collected using convenience sampling technique. The sero-prevalence, status (mild or severe) and forms (acute or chronic) of Brucella infection were determined using m-RBPT and cELISA, SAT-EDTA, 2-MET respectively. Chi-square test was used to measure associations among categorical variables. ArcGIS version 10.3 was used to draw spatial maps to show the distribution of B. melitensis infection as obtained by cELISA in the LGAs under study. Distance Inverse Weighted (DIW) was used to interpolate for unsampled LGAs based on generated data. `Participatory Epidemiological (PE) tools were used to determine the economics of animal species kept by pastoralists, prevalence, signs and local perception and remedies to small ruminant diseases. Participatory epidemiology data were subjected to descriptive statistics, Friedman’s test and Kendall’s coefficient of concordance to determine the level of agreement among informant groups. Of the 3,777 sera tested using m-RBPT, sero-prevalence of 13.5% was obtained for B. melitensis in both Katsina and Sokoto States. For B. abortus antibodies, 15.8% and 17.7% were obtained for Katsina and Sokoto States respectively. The sero-prevalence for single infection of either B. melitensis or B. abortus were 21.1% and 20.6% for Katsina and Sokoto States respectively, while 4.1% and 5.0% were obtained for co-infection (B. melitensis and B. abortus) for Katsina and Sokoto States respectively. Using SAT-EDTA, 4.11% and 3.3% of the 3,777 sera analysed were positive for mild infection in Katsina and Sokoto States respectively while 11.3% and 6.3% were positive for severe infections from the same states respectively. Four hundred and fifty nine sera from Katsina and Sokoto States that were positive at 1:80 and above using SAT-EDTA were tested for acute and chronic infections using 2-Mecaptoethanol test (2MET) and that out of these, 228 (76.5%) and 124 (77.0%) were positive for acute infection from Katsina and Sokoto States respectively while 70 (23.5%) and 37 (23.5%) were positive for chronic infection from the same States respectively. Four hundred of the 459 positive sera samples were further analysed for B. melitensis antibodies using cELISA, with 51 (4.0%) and 17 (13.0%) being positive from Katsina and Sokoto States respectively. The spatial map imageries for Katsina and Sokoto States were produced to show the prevalence of B. melitensis using cELISA throughout the LGAs sampled. The PE results revealed that cattle constituted the largest proportion of livestock kept by pastoralists (ranked 1) in Katsina and Sokoto States, followed by goats (ranked 2), sheep (ranked 3), poultry (ranked 4) camels (ranked 5th) and Donkeys (ranked 6th). Benefits derived from the animals kept by pastoralists in Katsina and Sokoto States were fertilizer (manure), means of livelihood, transport, Farm traction, emergency fund, festivities, meat and Milk/milk products. Similarly, Cattle rustling (Rank = 1; 0), effects of transhumance (Rank = 2; 3), lack of watering points (Rank = 3; 7), lack/inadequate shelter (Rank = 4; 2), diseases (Rank = 5; 1), cost of medication (Rank = 6; 5) and feeding (Rank = 7; 6) were identified as common factors militating against livestock production in Katsina and Sokoto States respectively. The median score for factors militating against livestock production was significantly different (p < 0.05) in both states. Important small ruminats diseases identified by pastoralists in the two States Gishu/Gurda (PPR), Balku/Hanta (fasciolosis), Matsattsaku (helminthosis), Bakkale/Bari (brucellosis), Chabo (FMD), and Kumburin Guiwa (arthritis). The clinical signs of identified diseases in the states under study were consistent with the modern veterinary knowledge of such diseases. For traditional treatment of brucellosis, firing of the knee in case of hygroma was the practice, after which a powder of ‘Rai dore’ (Senna occedentalis) was applied on the wound. Others drenched affected animals with a solution of the same powder. From the study, it was concluded that small ruminants in the study areas harboured antibodies to B. melitensis and B. abortus as well as having evidence of acute and chronic and also mild and severe infections. The spatial map imagery may serve as an excellent tool for active surveillance and control strategies for livestock diseases like brucellosis in the studt area. Diseases and several management factors were found to militate against livestock production in the study States. Pastoralists were also found to be repository of Veterinary knowledge in Katsina and Sokoto States. There is the need to enlighten pastoralists in the study area on small ruminant brucellosis and the dangers therein. Sero-spatial maps of Brucella in all states in Nigeria should be institutionalized as an element of active surveillance and control strategies. Also, ‘Pastoralists’ should be given a voice to enhance understanding of animal health problems in their localities and the options for their prevention, control and surveillance using PE. The active ingredients in the identified plants from this study should be investigated with a view to develop appropriate drugs to improve animal health care delivery.

SEROLOGICAL AND PARTICIPATORY STUDIES OF BRUCELLA INFECTIONS IN SMALL RUMINANTS IN KATSINA AND SOKOTO STATES, NIGERIA

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