Seroprevalence of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia in Borana and Guji lowlands, Southern Ethiopia

A multistage cross sectional serological study and questionnaire survey were conducted on contagious caprine pleuropneumonia in selected districts of Borana and Guji lowlands, Southern Ethiopia, to determine the prevalence of the disease and identify risk factors associated with the occurrence of the disease. A total of 900 sera samples were collected and tested using Complement Fixation Test (CFT). Questionnaire surveys were conducted with 69 randomly selected households. Out of the 900 goat sera samples tested, 119 (13.2%) were seropositive for CCPP, giving an overall seroprevalence of 13.2 % (95% CI=11.0%-15.4%) in the study areas. A seroprevalence of 18.3% (95% CI=14.3%-22.7%), 11.7% (95% CI=8%-15.2%) and 9.7% (95% CI=6.3%-12.6%) were recorded in Liban, Teltale and Moyale districts respectively. The seroprevalence recorded in Liban district was significantly different from that of Moyale district (p<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis on the assumed risk factors showed that age, flock size and distance from veterinary service centre were the major risk factors associated with the occurrence of the disease with Odds ratios of 2.18 (95% CI=1.64-2.91), 1.59 (95% CI=1.11-2.29) and 1.43 (95% CI=1.03-1.98) respectively. The questionnaire survey has revealed that contact at watering points, restocking, lack of veterinary service, and large flock size were the major factors for the spread and occurrence of the disease in the area. In conclusion, the serological findings and questionnaire survey indicated that CCPP is the top major goat health problem in the area which warrants appropriate measures to be in place towards the prevention and control of the disease in the study areas.