Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Small ruminants play an important role in low-income countries due to their ability to bring
food and income to their owners. Loss of these animals due to disease can therefore affect a
family’s ability to support their livelihood and the children’s opportunities to go to school so
that they can improve their future. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of
three zoonotic diseases among goats that can have an impact on both animal health and
production and human health: brucellosis, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) and
Rift Valley fever (RVF). Another aim was to find associations between the seroprevalence of
the disease and management routines to see if there were any specific risk factors to contracting
the diseases in the herds.
Serum samples were collected from goats in three districts in the Central and Southern
provinces of Zambia, more specifically Monze and Mazabuka in the Southern province, and
Chibombo district in Central province. In each district, ten villages were randomly selected and
in each village four households with at least four goats were visited for sampling. The farmers
in each household were interviewed using a questionnaire with questions regarding
management routines and details about the animals.
After sampling the serum was analysed for antibodies to the selected diseases using
commercially available specific ELISA kits. To find associations between the seroprevalence
and management routines, Fisher’s exact test was used.
No individuals were found to have RVF antibodies. The prevalence of CCHF was found to be
5.2% and seroprevalence of brucellosis was 2.7%. Association was found between being CCHF
seropositive and having contact with other cattle herds equal to or more often than every six
months. No other associations could be found between seropositive animals and management
routines.