Seroprevalence of Bovine Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Its Associated
Risk Factors in Selected Districts of Afar Region, Ethiopia
Abstract
Foot and mouth disease is an extremely contagious transboundary disease
of livestock that causes significant economic losses in Ethiopia. A
cross sectional study was conducted from November 2018 to May 2019 to
estimate seroprevalence and to assess associated risk factors in
selected districts of afar region. Purposive and simple random sampling
technique was employed to select the study areas and animals
respectively. A total of 384 sera were collected from 72 herds and
seroprevalence of the disease was determined using 3ABC-ELISA technique.
Data generated from laboratory reports and questionnaire survey was
recorded and coded using Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and analyzed using
STATA version 14. Potential risk factors of the disease were also
assessed using logistic regression analysis. Out of 384 sera tested, the
overall seroprevalence of FMDV was 19.8% (n=76; 95% CI=15.8-23.79) at
animal level and 56.94% at herd level. The herd level seroprevalence
was higher in animals tested from Dubti (85%, n=17) than those from
Asayita (48.13%, n=13) and Chifra (44%, n=11). Among the associated
risk factors, age, herd size, district and contact with wild life were
statistically associated with FMDV serostatus (P<0.05). Medium
and large herd size animals were 2.49 (95% CI: 1.33-6.63) and 6.05(95%
CI: 2.54-14.43) times more likely to develop the disease as compared to
those animals from small herd size respectively. Adult cattle were 2.97
times more likely to have a chance of contracting the disease as
compared to young cattle. The current study finding revealed that FMD
was more prevalent and economically significant disease in the study
districts. Hence, further studies ought to be conducted to estimate the
region wise magnitude of the disease and to identify and characterize
the circulating serotypes and strains in the areas.