Serological and Molecular Detection of Brucellosis and Its Risk Factors for Sheep and Goat Flocks in Kajiado County, Kenya

Abstract

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that poses significant public health risk globally. This study was done to estimate molecular and serological prevalence of Brucella pathogens in sheep and goats in five wards (Matapato South, Kaputei North, Ildamat, Kenyawa Poka and Ilodokilani) in Kajiado County. Samples of serum and whole blood were randomly collected from 1,560 sheep and goats in Kajiado County and screened using RBT. Additionally, questionnaires were administered to collect flock data on risk factors associated with Brucella infections in sheep and goats. A total of 130 pastoralists were interviewed. A total of 320 serum samples were selected based on history of abortion and presence of sick ewes and does in flocks including those samples that tested positive on RBT, which were then tested using cELISA for presence of Brucella melitensis and Brucella ovis antibodies. About 72 whole blood samples drawn from animals that tested positive on serological tests (RBT and C-Elisa) and other suspected serological negative test samples with history of abortions, were further subjected to conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using B. Melitensis and B. ovis specific primers to test for presence of IS711 and omp31 (JX081250.1) genes...................................................................................................................