Abstract:
A cross-sectional study was carried out from February, 2021 to December 2021 to estimate
the prevalence of Bovine Tuberculosis in 5 dairy farms, identify the associated risk factors
and its zoonotic potential. In 5 Randomly selected dairy herds the cross-breed dairy cows
were first tested to the Tuberculin skin test, and then the milk from positive animals was
collected to test the presence of Mycobacterium bovis by culturing and ZN- staining
techniques. Using questioner survey, the study considered different aspects of public health
risks; husbandry, knowledge and awareness including the farm hygienic practice level to
zoonotic potential of bTB were assessed on 100 randomly selected respondents which include
dairy owners, dairy workers, and customers who regularly purchasing milk and milk products
from selected dairy farms for study. The overall finding signifies that people lack the zoonotic
disease related Awareness level was lower or below 50%. The overall Comparative Intra
Dermal Tubercline skin test prevalence was about 32(12.21%). Out of the total 5 dairy herds
tested (262), 32 of them (12.21%) were found to be positive reactors for bovine tuberculosis.
Using the cultural techniques from the total 23 raw milk cultured slants to the CIDT test only
7 slant were found to be positive (30..4%) The result after slant incubation of the LJ Media
enriched with Pyruvate sample shows a visible creamy to yellowish, flat colonies after13
weeks of incubation, were presumed to be M. bovis. Thus, this findings warrant the initiation
of practically applicable control strategy before increasing the spread of bTB due to M. bovis
both in cattle and humans. Detection of Mycobacteria ‗MTBC‘ smeared from the post cultural
slant in raw milk revealed that it poses a serious public health risk to the consumers‘ in Harar
area.
