Brucellosis Disease in Buffalo: The Main Clinical Symptoms (Research Paper Sample)

Brucellosis Disease in Buffalo
Name
Institution
Brucellosis Disease in Buffalos
Buffaloes have a typical use for milk, meat and work. Today there are over 170 million buffalos in the world with 2% in Egypt, 0.2% in Italy and 97% in Asia[1.Borghese, A. and M. Mazzi. Buffalo population and strategies in the world. Buffalo production and research 67: 1-39]
Brucellosis is broadly prevalent in most important zoos in Middle East countries and Iraq. Several species belonging to Brucella genus are the cause of brucellosis. Brucellaabortus commonly affects Buffalos. The main characteristic factors for these bacteria are Gram-negative, aerobic, non-motile, and facultative intracellular Coccobacilli. Humans can guard themselves from the disease by avoiding the use of infected, unpasteurized animal Milk products.[. Songer JW and Post KW. Veterinary microbiology: Bacterial and fungal agents of animal diseases. Elsevier Saunders. 2005. pp: 125-133..] [. Al-Abdaly IBA. Infection of brucellosis in Nineveh province with some biochemical aspects: PhD. Dissertation. Iraq: University of Mosul, 2005] [. Robinson, A. Guidelines for coordinated human and animal brucellosis surveillance: FAO Animal Production and Health Paper (2003)156, pp: 1-46).] [5.Carrera, I. A., M. J. L. Rodriguez, A. M. Saphina, A. L. Lafuente, and A. R. B.Sacristan. Probable transmission of brucellosis by breast milk. J Trop. Pediatrics (2006).52: 380-381]
The main clinical symptoms of the disease in humans are body weakness, headaches, muscle and joint pain. Additional symptoms include hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, undulant fever, chills and night sweats .In animals the main characteristics of brucellosis infection are abortion, retained placenta, orchitis, decreased milk production and reduced survival of newborn. Infected animals also become carriers of the bacteria and start shedding the organisms by urine and milk. The main important point to note is that infected animals transmitte the disease to different animals by direct contact with tissue or their discharge and as a result from the ingestion of contaminated material.[.Young, E. J. (1983). "Human brucellosis." Review of Infectious Diseases 5(5): 821-842.] [. Borghese, A. and M. Mazzi. Buffalo population and strategies in the world. Buffalo production and research 67: 1-39]
Iraq has considered Brucellosis one of the endemic diseases since 1937. Brucellosis has caused serious economic losses and reproductive problems such as abortion, stillbirth, placentiitis and low milk secretion.[. Al-Zahawi, S. Confirmation de l`existence de la Fie`vekandulante en. Iraq: Bull. Int. Hyg. Publ. 30: 1559-1562] [. OIE. Enzootic abortion of ewes: Ovine chlamydiosis In : Paris, France: OIE terrestrial manual, 2012;pp:1-9..]
Brucella is an intracellular bacterium. The treatment for these bacteria is a big challenge. In addition, there is no effective treatment for brucellosis. Ox-tetracycline is the commonly used antibiotic.[10.Metcalf, H.E., Luchsinger, D.W., Ray, W.C., Brucellosis, in: Handbook of Zoonoses, Second Edition, Section A: Bacterial, Rickettsial, Chlamydia, and Mycotic Zoonoses. London, UK: CRC Press.1994. 9–39.]
Study design:
A cross sectional study with sampling was conducted to investigate Brucellosis disease potential risk factors for in buffalos in Northeast district of Badush in Mosul province. This was because buffalos were just easy to find in this area of Mosul province. According to the data obtained from Veterinary Hospital Center on Buffalo farmers’ list, there are currently 1500 Buffalo owners in Badush district. Data was collected from randomly selected 800 owners from 10 villages using a structured questionnaire. We had taken this number of farmers to increase the level of confidence on the research findings. I would like to investigate if there is a variation between all these factors flock size, Abortion history, contact with neighbor and purchasing of new animals from different owners.
Observational study
Cross sectional study was chosen because it is quick and cheap to do than other study such as cohort study. It is considered as the best study to determine the prevalence of the disease. It is also cheap and easy to obtain information from cross-sectional study. Cross- sectional study allows obtaining blood samples from population simultaneously. In cross- sectional study, we can select the animals randomly and divide them into various groups after selection.
We can also study several factors at one time in cross- sectional study. However, we cannot determine the causes and effect because we did the collection at one time. In the cross- sectional study also, we cannot determine the outcome control programs. Therefore, some researchers recommended doing the Cohort study, which is responsible for these factors.
They said cross-sectional study is less suitable for short-lived effects. We were suspecting that most buffalos suffered from brucellosis for a long time as a chronic disease. We also needed to apply human and animal ethics.
Sampling of animals
Sterile vacationers collected 10mL samples. They then transported them to College of Veterinary Medicine in Mosul under 4°C. In the lab, each sample was given an identity number and serum was removed. Samples were tested with RBPT test and then the ELISA test was used to confirm seropositive animals. Seroprevalence was done to determine the prevalence of brucellosis. Infected herds were those who had at least two animals show positive results in both tests (RB and ELISA).
Variable

Level/category

Disease

Prevalence

Odds Ratio

Lower
95% C.I

Upper
95% C.I



+ve

--Ve





Flock size

<10

21

179

10.50%

3.40

1.80%

6.42%


10-15

33

317

9.43%

3.02

1.70%

5.35%


>15

27

223

10.80%

3.51

1.93%

6.39%

Contact with neighbor

yes

60

540

10.00%

3.22

1.92%

5.42%


No

20

180

10.00%

3.22

1.70%

6.12%

Abortion history

yes

70

180

28.00%

11.28

6.68%

19.05%


No

10

540

1.82%

0.54

0.25%

1.16%

Purchasing Buffalo

yes

60

140

30.00%...