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Toxoplasmosis in camels (Camelus dromedarius) of Borana zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia: seroprevalence and risk factors

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Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is one of the most prevalent parasitic infections of medical and veterinary importance. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2013 to January 2014 to estimate the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in camels from four districts of Borana zone, Southern Oromia, Ethiopia. In addition, a questionnaire survey was administered to 124 pastoralists to identify possible risk factors and to assess the awareness level of pastoral communities about toxoplasmosis. A total of 396 serum samples were examined for anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies using the direct agglutination test (DAT). Fisher’s exact test and logistic regression were used for data analysis. An overall seroprevalence of 8.33 % (95 % confidence interval [CI] 5.60 %, 11.07 %) at animal-level and 37.5 % (95 % CI: 20.1 %, 57.4 %) at herd-level was found. The seroprevalence was significantly high in Moyale district (23.07 %) followed by Yabello (7.20 %), Dirre (3.77 %), and Arero (0.0 %) districts (P < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the likelihood of acquiring T. gondii infection was significantly higher in camels of Moyale district (adjusted OR = 5.89, 95 % CI 2.15, 16.12; P = 0.001) than Dirre district, in camels of >8 years old (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 4.95, 95 % CI 1.68, 14.55; P = 0.004) than camels of ≤4 years old. There was no significant association between herd-level seroprevalence of T. gondii infection and abortion history, herd size, and presence of domestic cats and wild felids (P > 0.05). The majority of interviewees were uneducated (82.25 %), and all had no knowledge of toxoplasmosis. All camel herders drink raw camel milk but consume cooked meat (90.32 %). Of the interviewees, 93.06 % are aware about soil-eating habit of camels and provide salt supplement for their camels. Majority of the respondents practice improper disposal of aborted materials (throw along the way) (88.70 %), and 73 % of the study participants do not wash their hands after handling aborted fetus. The results of the present study confirm relatively lower prevalence of T. gondii infection in camels reared in Borana zone. Age and study district are significant predictors of T. gondii seropositivity. The vast majorities of interviewed pastoralists were uneducated and practice poor biosecurity measures to prevent diseases. Education of pastoralists about biosecurity measures to prevent toxoplasmosis and further studies are warranted to unravel the economic and public health consequences of T. gondii infection.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the financial support of Addis Ababa University (sub-thematic project investigation on major camel diseases in Ethiopia and development of intervention strategies), and the Italian National Reference Centre for Toxoplasmosis at the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia A. Mirri, Italy and partial financial support to Maria Vitale grant No. RF 2007/RC. The authors are grateful to the camel owners (pastoralists) for their collaboration in the sampling and supplying information.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Veterinary Laboratory Technology, Ambo University, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, P.O.Box 19, Ambo, Ethiopia

    Endrias Zewdu Gebremedhin, Negassa Feyissa & Edilu Jorga

  2. Department of Clinical Studies, Addis Ababa University, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, P.O.Box 34, Bishoftu, Ethiopia

    Nura Dima, Ashenafi Feyisa Beyi & Fufa Dawo

  3. Italian National Reference Centre for Toxoplasmosis at Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia A. Mirri, Palermo, Italy

    Vincenzo Di Marco & Maria Vitale

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  1. Endrias Zewdu Gebremedhin
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  2. Nura Dima
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  3. Ashenafi Feyisa Beyi
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  4. Fufa Dawo
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  7. Vincenzo Di Marco
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Correspondence to Endrias Zewdu Gebremedhin.

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Gebremedhin, E.Z., Dima, N., Beyi, A.F. et al. Toxoplasmosis in camels (Camelus dromedarius) of Borana zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia: seroprevalence and risk factors. Trop Anim Health Prod 48, 1599–1606 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-016-1133-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-016-1133-3

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