EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF AVIAN TUBERCULOSIS IN SELECTED DISTRICTS OF OROMIA, ETHIOPIA
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Date
2017-06
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Abstract
Avian tuberculosis is a zoonotic disease which remains a problem in extensive poultry production systems under which chickens scavenge for survival in unhygienic environments. A cross-sectional study anticipated to generate additional epidemiological and public health information on the disease was carried out from November, 2016 to June, 2017 at Gerar Jarso, Ada’a, and Boset districts of Oromia, Ethiopia; located at high, mid and low altitudes respectively. Study animals were 273 village chickens of both sex and local, exotic and cross breeds aged 22 weeks and above. Single intradermal avian tuberculin test, postmortem inspection of positive reactors, mycobacteriological culturing, hitopathological examination and questionnaire survey were used to assess information on the epidemiology and public health implications of the disease. Consequently, avian tuberculin test revealed an overall apparent prevalence of 11.4% (31/273); and a specific prevalence of 6.8% (6/88) in the highland, 13.4% (13/97) in the midland and 13.6% (12/88) in the lowland study districts. Besides, it signified a significantly (P<0.05) higher odd of exposure in cross breed chickens as compared to locals. Moreover, 40.9% (9/22) of positive reactor chickens sacrificed for necropsy showed gross pathological lesions and acid fast stain evidenced the presence of acid fast bacilli. Similarly, histopathological examination revealed a granuloma characterized by central necrosis and peripheral mononuclear lymphocytes. Nevertheless, only 0.02% (2/120) of the cultured tissues had shown colonial growth due to unknown reasons. Besides, the questionnaire survey evidenced poor awareness of participant farmers; as only 11% (10/91) of them had well perceived the zoonotic risk of the disease. Generally, the study revealed decreasing prevalence of avian tuberculosis with increasing altitude and poor public perception on the zoonotic risk of the disease; demanding further studies on the epidemiology, cultural isolation and public health implications of the disease.
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A Thesis submitted to the College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture of Addis Ababa University in the partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Veterinary Epidemiology
Keywords
Avian tuberculosis, Epidemiology, Public health