Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with foot and mouth disease in cattle from selected districts in Uganda

Abstract

Foot and mouth disease remain a major constraint in livestock production along the cattle corridor and in other parts of the country that do not lie along the corridor.Across sectional study was doneto determine the seroprevalence of foot and mouth disease and associatedpredisposing factors in the districts of Kiryandongo, Nakasongola, Nakaseke,Masindi, Isingiro and Kyotera. A total of 555serum samplesfrom 48 herdswere collected and submitted toNational Animal Disease Diagnostics and Epidemiology Centre (NADDEC)Entebbefor analysis.Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for detection of the presence of antibodiesagainst FMDV non-structural proteinswas performed.In addition, standardized questionnaires were administered to aid collection ofdata about the farms and the disease. Results obtained indicated anoverall FMD seroprevalence of 30.6%.Nakasongola had the highest seroprevalence of 55.3%, followed by Masindi with 53.7%, Nakaseke 48.4%, Kiryandongo 17.5%, Kyotera 7.1% and Isingiro had the lowest seroprevalence of 6.92%. Breed,production system, vaccination statusof the herdas well asherd size were identified as risk factors for FMDseroprevalence.Our study recommended thatregular systematic disease surveillance is doneso as to monitor disease outbreaks and progress.