Study on Prevalence of Small Ruminant Brucellosis and Associated Factors in Wemberima and North Mecha Districs of Amahara Region, Ethiopia

Brucellosis is one of the infectious disease that most affects sheep and goats productivity. Ethiopia is home to a significant number of animals, but it has not fully capitalized on the potential of small ruminant production. This underperformance is due to several factors, including poor genetic quality, inadequate management practices, and major challenges related to diseases. These issues pose significant barriers to achieving economic returns from small ruminant production. Additionally, farmers often develop a strong attachment to their animals, making it crucial to assess the status of zoonotic diseases, such as brucellosissis. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the seroprevalence of brucellosis in small ruminants and its related risk factors from February to May 2023 in Wemberima and North Mecha districts of the Amhara Region. A total of 600 sera were collected from ten purposively selected villages of the two districts (Goat, n=355 and Ovine, n = 245) and screened using RBT for the evidence of antibodies against brucellosis and confirmed by Complement Fixation Test (CFT). The study revealed an overall 3% (95% CI: 1.48-26.69) sero-prevalence of ruminant brucellosis. Species were significantly associated risk factors with <i>Brucella </i>seropositivity (P < 0.05) in this study. Hence, the odds of being sero-positive to <i>Brucella </i>was found to be 6.11 (OR=6.11; 95% CI: 1.48- 26.69) times higher in Ovine than in Caprine. All other risk variables had no significant effect (P > 0.05).