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Meta-analysis of Brucella seroprevalence in dairy cattle of Ethiopia

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Abstract

This meta-analysis estimates a single-group summary (effect size) for seroprevalence of Brucella spp. exposure in dairy cattle of Ethiopia. It also attempts to identify study-level variables that could explain the variation in apparent seroprevalence. The literature search was restricted to studies published in English language from January 2000 to December 2013. A template was designed to retrieve the most biologically plausible and consistent variables from the articles. A total of 29 published papers containing 40 animal-level studies were used in the analyses. The single-group summary of Brucella seroprevalence in cattle was estimated to reach 3.3 % with 95 % confidence interval (CI) (2.6–4.2 %). Of all the variables considered, region was the only specific factor identified to explain about 20 % of between-study variation. Accordingly, the region-based meta-analysis forest plot revealed the highest prevalence in central Ethiopia followed by southern part. The lowest prevalence estimate was observed in the western part of the country. The visual inspection of the funnel plot demonstrated the presence of possible publication bias which might dictate shortage of studies with higher prevalences or variance inflation due to infectiousness of Brucella. In conclusion, the quantitative review showed the seroprevalence to be low but widely distributed. More importantly, the review underscores the need for isolation and characterization of the circulating Brucella spp. to capture the type of Brucella spp. involved and its distribution in cattle in Ethiopia.

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Acknowledgments

All those researchers who devoted their time and resource to produce such relevant information on brucellosis in cattle in Ethiopia are greatly acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Veterinary Medicine, Hawassa University, P.O. Box 05, Hawassa, Ethiopia

    Kassahun Asmare

  2. Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 8146 dep., N-0033, Oslo, Norway

    Randi I. Krontveit & Eystein Skjerve

  3. National Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 19, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia

    Gelagay Ayelet

  4. College of Veterinary Medicine, Haramaya University, P.O.Box 138, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia

    Berhanu Sibhat

  5. Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway, Stakkeviollveien 23, P.O. Box 6050 Langnes, N-9037, Tromsø, Norway

    Jacques Godfroid

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  1. Kassahun Asmare
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  2. Randi I. Krontveit
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  3. Gelagay Ayelet
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  4. Berhanu Sibhat
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  5. Jacques Godfroid
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  6. Eystein Skjerve
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Correspondence to Kassahun Asmare.

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Asmare, K., Krontveit, R.I., Ayelet, G. et al. Meta-analysis of Brucella seroprevalence in dairy cattle of Ethiopia. Trop Anim Health Prod 46, 1341–1350 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-014-0669-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-014-0669-3

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