Assessment of Dairy Farmers’ Awareness of Bovine Tuberculosis and Its Public Health Impact in Kombolcha and Dessie Towns, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Bovine tuberculosis is a known endemic disease of cattle in Ethiopia, caused predominantly by Mycobacterium bovis. This disease is a significant zoonosis that can spread to humans, typically by inhalation of aerosols or the ingestion of unpasteurized milk. Bovine tuberculosis remains a major challenge to animal productivity and public health in Ethiopia, particularly in expanding dairy systems like Kombolcha and Dessie, where close human cattle contact heightens the risk of zoonotic transmission. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2018 to April 2019 among 151 dairy cattle owners or members of these households in Kombolcha and Dessie towns, Ethiopia, to assess dairy cattle owners’ awareness of bovine tuberculosis and its public health implications using a questionnaire survey. Retrospective data were also employed to review the status of bovine tuberculosis in abattoirs and human extra-pulmonary TB that are often associated with M. bovis infection in Dessie Referral Hospital. Overall, out of the 151 interviewed dairy cattle owners or workers, only 49(32.5%) and 41(27.2%) respondents had heard about bovine tuberculosis and were aware of the zoonotic importance of bTB, respectively. Moreover, 35.1% (53/151) of them consumed both raw and boiled milk; 28.5% (43/151) of the respondents ate both raw and cooked meat; and 10.6% of cattle owners shared a house with their dairy cattle, implying a potential risk of acquiring bovine tuberculosis. Although the causative agent was not identified, 22 individuals who were raising cattle had TB cases. In addition, this study retrospectively showed that bovine TB is commonly reported (12.4% to 39.2%) in the Kombolcha ELFORA abattoir, and the occurrence (at least on average 100-1002 case per year) of human extra-pulmonary tuberculosis in Dessie referral hospital. This study revealed that dairy cattle owners and their household members in the study area had limited awareness of bTB and its public health implications. Developing the awareness of cattle owners about bovine tuberculosis and its public health implications is of great importance for reducing the impact of the disease on dairy owners or workers and the growing dairy sector as well.