Seroprevalence of foot and mouth disease in Bench Maji zone, Southwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

A cross-sectional sero -epidemological study was conducted in two districts of the Bench Maji Zone, Southwestern 
Ethiopia between November 2007 and February 2008 with the objective of determining the seroprevalence of Foot 
and Mouth Disease (FMD) in cattle and identifying the potential risk factors associated with the disease. Sera 
samples were collected from a total of 273 cattle in 98 herds. The sera were submitted to the National Veterinary 
Institute (NVI), Debre zeit, Ethiopia for screening using the 3ABC-ELISA. The overall seroprevalence of FMD was 
12.08% (n=273) . Significantly higher seroprevalence (20%) was recorded in the Surma district compared to the 
Semen Bench district (5.88%). Peasant associations (equivalent to villages in a district) had prevalence rates of 25, 
20, 15, 8.16, 5.66 and 3.92% for Kibish, Tulgit, Koka, Aman, Mizan and Temenja-yasz respectively. From the various 
risk factors analyzed peasant associations, cross boundary movement and herd size were seen to be statistically 
associated (p<0.05) with the seroprevalence of FMD. There was no significant variation in seroprevalence among 
sex, age and herd type. The result of the present study showed that FMD is an important cattle disease in the study 
area. Thus, an appropriate control strategy has to be designed and applied which could involve regulation of 
transboundary cattle movement and vaccination using the circulating virus strain.