International Journal of Microbiological Research 9 (2): 45-53, 2018 ISSN 2079-2093 © IDOSI Publications, 2018 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.ijmr.2018.45.53 Corresponding Author: Hika Waktole, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Veterinary Public Health College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box: 34, Bishoftu, Oromia, Ethiopia. 45 Sero-Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Bovine Brucellosis in Selected Dairy Farms in Bishoftu Town, Oromia, Ethiopia Hika Waktole, Ermiyas Geneti, Wahid M. Ahmed, Gezahegne Mammo and Fufa Abunna 1 1 2 1 3 Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Veterinary Public Health College of Veterinary Medicine 1 and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box: 34, Bishoftu, Oromia, Ethiopia Department of Animal Reproduction & A.I, Veterinary Research Division, 2 National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt Department of Clinical studies, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, 3 Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box: 34, Bishoftu Oromia, Ethiopia Abstract: A cross-sectional study was carried out from December 2015 to April 2016 to determine sero- prevalence and associated risk factors of bovine brucellosis in dairy farms in Bishoftu town. A total of 400 blood samples were collected from cross breed dairy cattle and the Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) was used as a screening test. Those serum samples reacting positively to RBPT were subjected to the complement fixation test (CFT) for confirmation. Accordingly, RBPT detected 15 of 400(3.75%) of the samples as brucellosis positive. The positive sera when further retested using CFT, 12 out of the 15 RBPT positive sera were confirmed to be positive. The prevalence of brucellosis based on CFT in the study area was 3% and all positive sera were from female cattle. A Chi-square computed statistical analysis indicated that abortion history ( =10.67; P<0.001), 2 abortion period ( =29.24; P<0.000), retained fetal membrane ( =14.25;P< 0.00) and parity ( =5.69; P<0.05) were 2 2 2 the major risk factors for Brucella infection in the study area. In addition, result of the questionnaire survey revealed that percentage of 16.14% history of abortion and 17.72% history of retained fetal membranes. A total of 66 cattle attendants and farm owners were interviewed and 30.3% were found to have no knowledge of brucellosis, only 18.18% were wear protective gloves during handling of aborted material and 34.85% responded that they consume raw milk. Therefore, in order to control spread of brucellosis implementation of better management practices like isolation of aborted animals, provision of separate parturition pen, proper disposal of aborted fetuses and fetal membranes should be practiced. Key words: Bishoftu Bovine brucellosis Dairy cattle Risk factors Sero-prevalence INTRODUCTION Brucellosis is the most widely spread zoonoses Ethiopia has huge livestock population, yet, they disease caused by genus Brucella which is Gram- were affected by different diseases which greatly affect negative; intracellular coccobacillary comprised of the economy and public health within the country. species based upon biochemical features and their Among these diseases brucellosis is one of the major correlation with preferred host species [4]. Currently diseases affecting the dairy industry responsible for low ten species are recognized including the better known productivity [1]. It is an economically important disease six classical species comprised of B. abortus (cattle, of livestock causing reproductive wastage through biovar 1-6 and 9), B. melitensis (goats, sheep, biovar 1-3), infertility, delayed heat, loss of calves, reduced meat and B. suis (pigs, reindeer and hares, biovar 1-5), B. ovis milk production, culling, death from secondary infection (sheep), B. canis (dogs) and B. neotomae (desert wood from abortion and economic losses from international rats). More recently, new members to the genus include trade bans [2]. B. ceti and B. pinnipedialis (dolphins/porpoises and disease in the world [3]. It is an infectious bacterial