Abstract:
Brucellosis is an important neglected bacterial zoonotic disease in sub-Saharan Africa,
including Somalia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Garawe district, Nugal
region, Somalia, from May 2022 to January 2023 to estimate the seroprevalence of small
ruminant brucellosis and assess owners’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward
brucellosis. A total of 384 sheep and goats were selected using a simple random sampling
technique and screened for Brucella antibodies by the Modified Rose Bengal Plate Test, and
positive samples were then further confirmed using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent
assay. For the questionnaire survey, 384 households were selected randomly, and a structured
questionnaire was used to assess owners’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward
brucellosis. The overall bru cellosis seroprevalence was 4.7% in small ruminants (95% CI:
2.8-7.3), and the true seroprevalence was calculated as 5.2%. According to the multivariable
logistic regression analysis, sex was found to be a potential risk factor for small ruminant
brucellosis (P < .05). More specifically, female sheep and goats were 9.13 times (aOR 9.13,
95% CI: 1.18-70.33) more likely to become seropositive than males. The owners’ knowl edge,
attitudes, and practices toward brucellosis were found to be low, and education level was
associated with owners’ knowledge (χ2 = 16.78; P < .001), attitudes (χ2 = 19.4; P < .001)
and practices (χ2 = 34.0; P < .001). There is also a significant association between owner
knowledge, attitudes, and practices and seropositivity of brucellosis in sheep and goats.
Moderate seroprevalence, together with insufficient knowledge, attitudes, and practices of
owners, makes brucellosis a threat to animals and the entire community. Hence, raising
community awareness of the disease is essential to reduce the impact on small ruminant
productivity and the risks to public healt
