Prev Vet Med. 2016 Mar 1;125:99-105. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2016.01.014. Epub 2016 Jan 19.
- 1Agricultural
Research Council, Biotechnology Platform, Private Bag X5, Onderstepoort
0110, South Africa; Discipline of Genetics, School of Life Sciences,
University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South
Africa. Electronic address: MdladlaK@arc.agric.za.
- 2Discipline
of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal,
Private Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa. Electronic address:
Dzomba@ukzn.ac.za.
- 3Agricultural Research Council,
Biotechnology Platform, Private Bag X5, Onderstepoort 0110, South
Africa. Electronic address: MuchadeyiF@arc.agric.za.
Abstract
The
present study investigated the seroprevalence of antibodies to
Ehrlichia ruminantium and the associated risk factors in goats from five
different farming provinces of South Africa. Sera collected from 686
goats of the commercial meat type (n=179), mohair
type (n=9), non-descript indigenous goats from Eastern Cape (n=56),
KwaZulu-Natal (n=209), Limpopo (n=111), North West (n=61) and Northern
Cape (n=11) provinces and a feral Tankwa goat (n=50) were tested for the
presence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to antigens of E.
ruminantium using the indirect fluorescent-antibody test (IFAT). Fifty
two percent of these goats had ticks. The overall seroprevalence of
antibodies to E. ruminantium was 64.87% (445/686) with the highest
seroprevalence reported for Limpopo (95.50%) and lowest for Northern
Cape (20.29%). Highest seroprevalence for antibodies to E. ruminantium
was observed in goats from endemic regions (76.09%), and from
smallholder production systems (89.54%). High seroprevalence was also
observed in non-descript indigenous goats (85.04%), adult goat (69.62%),
in does (67.46%) and goats infested with ticks (85.79%). The logistic
model showed a gradient of increasing risk for commercial meat type
Savanna (OR=3.681; CI=1.335-10.149) and non-descript indigenous
(OR=3.466; CI=1.57-7.645) compared to Boer goats and for goats from the
smallholder production system (OR=2.582; CI=1.182-5.639) and those with
ticks (OR=3.587; CI=2.105-6.112). Results from this study showed that E.
ruminantium infections were prevalent but were widely and unevenly
distributed throughout South Africa. Findings from the study facilitate
identification and mapping of risk areas for heartwater and its
endeminicity in South Africa and should be taken into consideration for
future disease control strategies and local goat improvement programs.
Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
KEYWORDS:
Ehrlichia ruminantium; Goats; Heartwater; Risk factors; Seroprevalence; South Africa
