Prevalence and risk factor's analysis of bovine brucellosis in peri-urban areas under intensive system of production in Gujarat, India

A study on the epidemiology of brucellosis in bovine population of peri-urban and rural areas of district Multan, southern Punjab, Pakistan

BACKGROUND

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by a bacterial pathogen belonging to the genus Brucella. It is one of the most frequent bacterial zoonoses globally but unfortunately, it is still considered as a neglected disease in the developing world. Keeping in view, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk determinants of brucellosis in large ruminants of peri-urban and rural areas of district Multan-Pakistan. For this purpose, blood samples (n = 490) were collected from the cattle (n = 245) and buffalo (n = 245) population of the study area and subjected to preliminary screening of brucellosis using local and imported RBPT reagents. All the samples were further analyzed using commercially available multi-specie indirect ELISA kit followed by their confirmation by PCR using genus and species-specific primers. Data obtained from lab analysis and questionnaires were subjected to statistical analysis for Pearson Chi-square, Odds Ratio and Confidence intervals (95%).

RESULTS

The results showed that the maximum seropositivity was recorded with local RBPT reagent (VRI, Pakistan; 12.45%; 95%CI = 9.72-15.65%) followed by RBPT-IDEXX (12.24%; 95%CI = 9.52-15.45%) and RBPT-ID.vet (11.84%; 95%CI = 9.18-14.95%) however statistical difference was non-significant (P = 0.956). The ELISA results showed an overall seroprevalence rate of 11.22% (95%CI = 8.59-14.33%) with comparatively higher rate in cattle (12.65%; 95%CI = 8.82-17.44%) as compared to buffaloes (9.80%; 95%CI = 6.49-14.15%). The PCR analysis confirmed the presence of genus Brucella in all seropositive samples whereas frequency of B. abortus and B. melitensis in seropositive samples was 80% and 20%, respectively. The co-existence of both species was also observed in 5.45% samples. The statistical analysis showed a significant association of bovine brucellosis with herd size, breed, reproductive disorders, mode of insemination, educational status and farmers' awareness about brucellosis (P < 0.05). Conversely, locality, age, weight, gender, pregnancy status, parity and puberty status had no associations with brucellosis (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, brucellosis is prevalent in large ruminants of district Multan, Pakistan. It is suggested to devise and implement stringent policies for the effective control and prevention of brucellosis in the region. Further, the current situation also warrants the need to strengthen interdisciplinary coordination among veterinarians and physicians in one health perspective to ensure and strengthen the human and animal health care systems in the region.

Brucellae as resilient intracellular pathogens: epidemiology, host-pathogen interaction, recent genomics and proteomics approaches, and future perspectives

Brucellosis is considered one of the most hazardous zoonotic diseases all over the world. It causes formidable economic losses in developed and developing countries. Despite the significant attempts to get rid of Brucella pathogens in many parts of the world, the disease continues to spread widely. Recently, many attempts proved to be effective for the prevention and control of highly contagious bovine brucellosis, which could be followed by others to achieve a prosperous future without rampant Brucella pathogens. In this study, the updated view for worldwide Brucella distribution, possible predisposing factors for emerging Brucella pathogens, immune response and different types of Brucella vaccines, genomics and proteomics approaches incorporated recently in the field of brucellosis, and future perspectives for prevention and control of bovine brucellosis have been discussed comprehensively. So, the current study will be used as a guide for researchers in planning their future work, which will pave the way for a new world without these highly contagious pathogens that have been infecting and threatening the health of humans and terrestrial animals.

Prevalence and risk factor investigation for exposure to Brucella species in surrogate stray cattle population reared in cow shelters in Punjab, India

Bovine brucellosis is endemic in cattle in India, however not much is known on the prevalence of this disease in stray cattle populations of the country. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and identify risk factors associated with brucellosis in the stray cattle populations reared in cow shelters (gaushalas) of Punjab, India. Blood samples were collected from 587 cattle reared in 23 cow shelters in 23 districts (one per district) of the Punjab and were tested using Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT), standard tube agglutination test (STAT) and Indirect Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (i-ELISA). Information on the sex and breed of the animal, total cattle population and presence of a separate shed for parturition were collected. An animal was considered exposed to Brucella infection based on a positive RBPT or STAT test and a positive i-ELISA test. Explanatory variables for the animal level disease status outcome variable were sex and breed of the animal and at the shelter level were shelter cattle population size and presence of a separate shed for parturition. Univariable binomial exact logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association of each explanatory variable with the binary outcome variable. Sixty-two animals were seropositive on RBPT, with an apparent seroprevalence of 10.56% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.33%, 13.31%) and the estimated true seroprevalence of 11.48% (95% CI: 8.9%, 14.64%). Sixty three animals were seropositive using STAT [apparent seroprevalence of 10.73% (95% CI: 8.48%, 13.50%) and the estimated true seroprevalence of 10.69% (95% CI: 8.27%, 13.67%)], and 68 using i-ELISA [an apparent seroprevalence of 11.58% (95% CI: 9.24%, 14.43%) and the estimated true seroprevalence of 13.28% (95% CI: 10.50%, 16.66%)]. Cross bred cattle had a lower risk of being test positive (odds ratio 0.16, p = 0.04) as compared to indigenous cattle. Due to a ban on cow slaughter in the country, roaming stray cattle infected with brucellosis present a permanent risk of introduction of disease to the dairy farms and other vulnerable populations.

Management of bovine brucellosis in organized dairy herds through the identification of risk factors: A cross-sectional study from Karnataka, India

Background and Aim

Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by Brucella species. This study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with bovine brucellosis seropositivity in organized dairy farms to control the disease in unvaccinated adult bovine herds in Karnataka, India.

Materials and Methods

In total, 3610 samples (3221 cattle and 389 buffaloes) were subjected to parallel testing using the Rose Bengal plate test and protein G-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, followed by analyses of animal- and farm-level epidemiological datasets to identify the risk factors.

Results

The apparent brucellosis prevalence at the animal level was higher in buffaloes (8.2%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 5.9-11.4) than in cattle (6.1%, 95% CI = 5.3-7.0). In a multivariable logistic model, animals calved 3-5 times (odds ratio [OR] = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.50-3.1, reference [ref]: animals calved <2 times); animals with a history of abortion (OR = 54.73, 95% CI = 33.66-89.02), repeat breeding (OR = 19.46, 95% CI = 11.72-32.25), and placental retention (OR = 13.94, 95% CI = 4.92-39.42, ref: no clinical signs); and dogs on farms (OR = 2.55, 95% CI = 1.48-4.40, ref: absence of dogs); disposal of aborted fetus in open fields (OR = 4.97, 95% CI = 1.93-12.84) and water bodies (OR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.50-3.1, ref: buried); purchase of animals from other farms (OR = 6.46, 95% CI = 1.01-41.67, ref: government farms); hand milking (OR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.02-10.0, ref: machine milking); and use of monthly veterinary services (OR = 3.45, 95% CI = 1.28-9.29, ref: weekly services) were considered significant risk factors for brucellosis in organized bovine herds (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

The study identified that the animals calved 3-5 times or with a history of abortion/repeat breeding/placental retention, and disposal of aborted fetus in open fields/water bodies as the potential risk factors for bovine brucellosis. These risk factors should be controlled through the implementation of best practices to reduce the brucellosis burden in bovine farms.

Estimates of the Economic Cost Caused by Five Major Reproductive Problems in Dairy Animals in Assam and Bihar, India

Reproductive problems in dairy animals reduce fertility, prevent conception, create problems in the delivery of healthy calves, lead to postpartum complications, increase inter-calving periods, reduce milk yield, and lower overall lifetime productivity. This study aimed at understanding the incidence of reproductive problems and the cost caused by these. The study covered 954 dairy animals in Bihar and 1348 dairy animals in Assam that were selected using a multi-stage random sampling method. The costs were calculated as the sum of income losses and expenditures incurred. The major cost incurred resulted from extended calving intervals (46.1% of the total cost), followed by loss through salvage selling (38.1%), expenditure for treatment of repeat breeders (5.9%), loss of milk production (5.3%) and expenditure for extra inseminations (2.0%). About one fifth of the selected reproductive problems were left untreated. The estimated cost of reproductive problems was Indian Rupees (INR) 2424.9 (USD 36.1) per dairy animal per year (of the total dairy animal population) which represented approximately 4.1% of the mean value loss of dairy animals (INR 58,966/USD 877) per year. Reproductive problems were significantly (p < 0.001) higher among improved (exotic breed or cross-bred) dairy animals than indigenous (native breed or nondescript indigenous) dairy animals. The study suggests that with the increase of improved dairy animal population, the loss may further increase. The study concludes that any economic estimation of reproduction problems based on aetiology without confirmatory diagnoses could be highly misleading because of the complex nature of the problems.

Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Brucella Infection in Dairy Animals in Urban and Rural Areas of Bihar and Assam, India

This study assessed seropositivity of Brucella infection in dairy animals and risk factors associated with it. The cross-sectional study used multi-stage, random sampling in the states of Bihar and Assam in India. In total, 740 dairy animals belonging to 534 households of 52 villages were covered under this study. Serological testing was conducted by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA). Animal-level Brucella seropositivity was found to be 15.9% in Assam and 0.3% in Bihar. Seropositivity in urban areas (18.7%) of Assam was found to be higher than in rural areas (12.4%). Bihar was excluded from the risk factor analysis, as only one Brucella seropositive sample was detected in the state. A total of 30 variables were studied for assessing risk factors, of which 15 were selected for multivariable regression analyses following a systematic process. Finally, only three risk factors were identified as statistically significant. It was found that animals belonging to districts having smaller-sized herds were less likely (p < 0.001) to be Brucella seropositive than animals belonging to districts having larger-sized herds. Furthermore, the chance of being Brucella seropositive increased (p = 0.007) with the increase in age of dairy animals, but decreased (p = 0.072) with the adoption of artificial insemination (AI) for breeding. We speculated that the identified risk factors in Assam likely explained the reason behind lower Brucella seropositivity in Bihar, and therefore any future brucellosis control program should focus on addressing these risk factors.

Seroprevalence and risk factors of brucellosis and the brucellosis model at the individual level of dairy cattle in the West Bandung District, Indonesia

Background and Aim

Brucellosis is a zoonotic bacterial infectious disease. West Bandung is a center for dairy farming in West Java Province District and endemic for brucellosis. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence, the associated risk factors, and the brucellosis model at the individual level of dairy cattle in the West Bandung District.

Materials and Methods

The research was conducted through a cross-sectional study. The samples were collected from the serum blood of dairy cattle. Data obtained from the questionnaire were used to investigate risk factors. Multistage random sampling was applied as the sampling technique; therefore, a sample size of 540 cows was selected. The number of farms and cattle on each farm was calculated using a variant effect design of the farm as well as 108 farms was selected with five cattle samples per farm. The results in regard of the research sample acquisition in the West Bandung District included 588 dairy cows from 116 farms, exceeds the number of samples calculated (540 dairy cows and 108 farms). The rose Bengal test (RBT) and the complement fixation test (CFT) were performed for brucellosis testing. Data associated with brucellosis cases at the individual level of the dairy cattle were analyzed using descriptive statistics univariate, bivariate with Chi-square, and odds ratio (OR). Moreover, multivariate logistic regression was used for the analysis during modeling.

Results

The results showed that the prevalence of brucellosis at the individual level in the West Bandung District was 5.10%. Risk factors associated with brucellosis in cattle included the history of abortion (p=0.000; OR=9.9), the history of placental retention (p=0.000; OR=6.6), the history of endometritis (p=0.000; OR=5.5), the history of stillbirth (p=0.043; OR=3.0), the history of pregnancy abortion age at 7-8 months (p=0.000; OR=15.2), and the history of pregnancy abortion at the age of 4-6 months (p=0.007; OR=3.8). The model of brucellosis in dairy cows was the following: = -3.2843+3.41033 the history of pregnancy abortion at the age of 7-8 months +2.54503 the history of pregnancy abortion at the age of 4-6 months +1.86185 age of cattle >2 years - 1.0469 Calving interval 12 months. The model showed the factors that were associated with brucellosis at the individual level of dairy cattle included the history of pregnancy abortion at the age of 7-8 months (β=+3.41033; OR=30.3), the history of pregnancy abortion at the age of 4-6 months (β=+2.54503; OR=12.7); age of cattle >2 years (β=+1.86185; OR=1.2), and Calving interval ≤12 months (β=-1.04691; OR=0.34).

Conclusion

The results of this research showed that the prevalence of brucellosis at the individual level of dairy cattle in the West Bandung district was 5.10%. The risk factors could contribute to the increase of the brucellosis cases, that is, the history of pregnancy abortion at the age of 7-8, the history of pregnancy abortion at the age of 4-6 months, and the age of cattle >2 years. The risk factors can be decreased in the brucellosis cases, that is, calving intervals ≤12 months.

Seroprevalence and risk factors for bovine brucellosis in the Chittagong Metropolitan Area of Bangladesh

Brucellosis is a neglected endemic zoonosis in Bangladesh and has a significant impact on public health and animal welfare of dairy farming as well as dairy farm economics. A cross‐sectional study was conducted to evaluate the seroprevalence of and risk factors for brucellosis in dairy cattle in the Chittagong metropolitan area (CMA) of Chittagong, Bangladesh. We collected serum samples (n = 158) from six randomly selected dairy farms in the CMA between February and November, 2015. The Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and a competitive ELISA (cELISA) were used as the screening and confirmatory tests respectively. Farm level and animal level demographic and risk factor data were collected using a questionnaire. The risk factors were analysed using a multivariable logistic regression with random effects. The overall seroprevalences of antibodies against brucellosis in cattle were 21.5% (34/158) and 7.6% (12/158) based on parallel and serial interpretation of the two tests respectively. Our results revealed that 20.3% (32/158) samples were positive using the RBPT and 8.9% (14/158) were positive using the cELISA. The within‐herd seroprevalence ranged from 10% to 26.3% and 5 to 20.7% using the RBPT and cELISA tests respectively. The odds of seropositivity were significantly higher in lactating cows (OR: 2.59; 95% CI: 1.02–6.55), cows producing less than 2 litres of milk (OR: 29.6; 95% CI: 4.3–353.8), cow producing 2–12 litres of milk (OR: 4.8; 95% CI: 1.1–33.4) and cows with reproductive disorders (OR: 3.2; 95% CI: 1.2–10.1). About 7.6% (12/158) and 1.3% (2/158) of cattle were found to be infected with acute and chronic brucellosis respectively. Based on these results, we suggest that cows that have reproductive disorders and are producing little milk should be prioritized for brucellosis screening in CMA. The screening tests should be used to control brucellosis in cattle in order to protect animal welfare, human health and to minimize the economic losses.

Evaluation of a milk ELISA as an alternative to a serum ELISA in the determination of the prevalence and incidence of brucellosis in dairy herds in Hubei Province, China

This study was designed to compare a milk I-ELISA with a serum ELISA for the diagnosis of brucellosis in dairy cattle and then to use the milk I-ELISA to determine the prevalence and incidence of brucellosis in dairy herds in Hubei Province, China. The two tests were shown to have good agreement with a Cohen's kappa statistic of 0.747 (p < 0.001) when 147 animals originating from 4 dairy herds in the province were tested. The results of Bayesian Latent Class Analysis estimated that the sensitivity and specificity of the milk I-ELISA under field conditions were 87.2 % and 92.0 %, respectively. An epidemiological survey based on the milk I-ELISA was then conducted in 3091 cows from 15 commercial dairy herds from January to July 2018 in Hubei Province. The animal level real prevalence varied from 34.9 % (95 % CI: 28.5, 41.8) to 51.4 % (95 % CI: 48.2, 54.6) in the 15 herds tested. Most farms (93.3 %) tested contained at least one test-positive animal. As only ten farms met the inclusion criteria for the calculation of incidence risk, the overall real incidence risk in 10 of these farms was 0.4 % (95 % CI: 0.1, 1.2) per 3 months, which highlights the potential for spread of the disease within infected herds. It is concluded that the milk I-ELISA test could be used as a rapid screening test for brucellosis in unvaccinated dairy cows and, given the high occurrence of bovine brucellosis in this study, an effective prevention and control program needs to be developed and implemented in Hubei Province, China.

Perceptions and preparedness of veterinarians to combat brucellosis through Brucellosis Control Programme in India

Background and Aim:

Brucellosis caused by bacteria belongs to the genus Brucella is an important zoonosis and constitutes a serious public health hazard worldwide including India. The present study aimed to estimate the knowledge of veterinarians on brucellosis, its public health threat, diagnosis, and vaccination.

Materials and Methods:

This cross-sectional study was conducted during 2013-2015 and 453 veterinarians representing 11 states/Union Territories (UT) of India (Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, and Punjab) were interviewed using self-administered questionnaire.

Results:

Out of 453 veterinarians, 71.74% stated handling of the animals on day-to-day basis and 28.25% were engaged in administration activities. The veterinarians ranked foot-and-mouth disease and brucellosis at the first and fourth ranks among the list of ten economic impacted diseases in the country. A significant association was observed between laboratory confirmation with those who handled brucellosis-suspected cases (p=0.000). Similarly, significant association was noted for the availability of vials/slides (p=0.114), vacutainers (p=0.008), icebox (p=0.103), and refrigerator (p=0.106) for those who preferred laboratory diagnosis. Only 20% of the veterinarians recommended vaccination against bovine brucellosis, and 17% obtained laboratory confirmation for the brucellosis-suspected cases.

Conclusion:

The study highlighted the need for awareness programs, laboratory facilities, veterinary doctors, and protective measures for the veterinarians for combating brucellosis through the control program in the country.

Spatial seroprevalence of bovine brucellosis in India-A large random sampling survey

Brucellosis caused by Brucella spp. is an important zoonosis and constitutes a serious public health hazard. In India, the disease is increasingly prevalent among bovine population with high zoonotic potential and negative impact on national economy. The investigation was conducted to study seroprevalence of brucellosis through random sample survey using survey tool box software. A total of 12,054 [cattle-9236, buffaloes-2818] bovine serum samples sourced from 15 states of India were tested by protein G indirect ELISA. The true prevalences of brucellosis observed in cattle and buffaloes were 8.3% and 3.6%, respectively. The highest prevalence of brucellosis was observed in the state of Punjab in both cattle and buffaloes (23.51 and 10.2%). Comparatively higher prevalence was recorded in cattle than the buffaloes in all the states except Manipur. The true prevalence greater than 5% was recorded in 8 and 3 states for cattle and buffaloes, respectively [(cattle- Punjab, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Kerala) and (buffaloes-Punjab, Gujarat and Manipur)] indicating wider prevalence of brucellosis. This study conclusively highlighted the seroprevalence of bovine brucellosis at state level which might be useful for prioritizing regions for vaccination, designing control strategies and improvisation of clinical surveillance system.

Risk Factors for Brucella Seroprevalence in Peri-Urban Dairy Farms in Five Indian Cities

Brucellosis is endemic among dairy animals in India, contributing to production losses and posing a health risk to people, especially farmers and others in close contact with dairy animals or their products. Growing urban populations demand increased milk supplies, resulting in intensifying dairy production at the peri-urban fringe. Peri-urban dairying is under-studied but has implications for disease transmission, both positive and negative. In this cross-sectional study, five Indian cities were selected to represent different geographies and urbanization extent. Around each, we randomly selected 34 peri-urban villages, and in each village three smallholder dairy farms (defined as having a maximum of 10 dairy animals) were randomly selected. The farmers were interviewed, and milk samples were taken from up to three animals. These were tested using a commercial ELISA for antibodies against Brucella abortus, and factors associated with herd seroprevalence were identified. In all, 164 out of 1163 cows (14.1%, 95% CI 12.2-16.2%) were seropositive for Brucella. In total, 91 out of 510 farms (17.8%, 95% CI 14.6-21.4%) had at least one positive animal, and out of these, just seven farmers stated that they had vaccinated against brucellosis. In four cities, the farm-level seroprevalence ranged between 1.4-5.2%, while the fifth city had a seroprevalence of 72.5%. This city had larger, zero-grazing herds, used artificial insemination to a much higher degree, replaced their animals by purchasing from their neighbors, were less likely to contact a veterinarian in case of sick animals, and were also judged to be less clean. Within the high-prevalence city, farms were at higher risk of being infected if they had a young owner and if they were judged less clean. In the low-prevalence cities, no risk factors could be identified. In conclusion, this study has identified that a city can have a high burden of infected animals in the peri-urban areas, but that seroprevalence is strongly influenced by the husbandry system. Increased intensification can be associated with increased risk, and thus the practices associated with this, such as artificial insemination, are also associated with increased risk. These results may be important to identify high-risk areas for prioritizing interventions and for policy decisions influencing the structure and development of the dairy industry.

Differential expression of cytokines in PBMC of Bos indicus and Bos taurus × Bos indicus cattle due to Brucella abortus S19 antigen

Brucellosis is the most dreadful disease among bovines, although breed differences have been observed in prevalence of disease, worldwide. In present study, antibody response and relative expression of proinflammatory cytokines was compared in Bos indicus (zebu) and Bos taurus × Bos indicus (crossbred) cattle vaccinated by live attenuated Brucella abortus S19 antigen. Six female calves (4-6 months age) of both groups were vaccinated with B.abortus S19 strain. Blood samples were collected before vaccination (0d) and 7^th (7d), 14^th (14d) and 28^th (28d) days after vaccination. Indirect ELISA showed high (p < .05) anti-Brucella antibody level after vaccination; with no significant difference between the groups. During Real-time expression, IFNγ, TNFα, IL6 and IL10 genes initially showed down regulation followed by upregulation in both the groups; however, the trend was much prominent in crossbreds. The expressions of IFNγ, TNFα and IL6, proinflammatory molecules important for initial containment of the Brucella were significantly (p < .01) higher in crossbred. The study showed that the Sahiwal cattle were less responsive to B.abortus S19 antigen than crossbreds, indicating its lower sensitivity to the Brucella, comparatively. In contrary, higher expression of the proinflammatory molecules in crossbreds could be important for containment of the organism during initial stage of infection.

Seroprevalence of brucellosis in small ruminants in organized and unorganized sectors of Gujarat state, India

Aim:

The present study aimed to study the seroprevalence of brucellosis in small ruminants of Gujarat state, India, using Rose Bengal Plate test (RBPT) and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA).

Materials and Methods:

A total of 2444 sera samples (675 sheep and 1769 goat) from unorganized sector and 1310 sera samples (861 sheep and 449 goat) from seven organized farms were collected for brucellosis screening.

Results:

In unorganized sector, 23.70% sheep (160/675) and 15.99% goat (283/1769) were positive by RBPT and 24.44% sheep (165/675) and 17.24% goat (305/1769) by iELISA. The organized sector samples showed higher seroprevalence in goat (7.79 %, 35/449) than sheep (4.06 %, 35/861) by RBPT. Similarly, in iELISA, goat samples showed a higher seroprevalence (9.35%, 42/449) compared to sheep (7.50%, 65/861). The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of RBPT with ELISA were 88.69% and 99.65%, respectively, and showed a significant difference (p≤0.0001). The Chi-square analysis revealed a significant difference in seroprevalence between sectors (p≤0.01) and species (p≤0.01).

Conclusion:

The seroprevalence of brucellosis in small ruminants of Gujarat was investigated and showed a higher prevalence of brucellosis and warrants the implementation of proper preventive measures.

Economic losses occurring due to brucellosis in Indian livestock populations

Brucellosis is a serious public health issue in India. Estimation of economic losses occurring due to brucellosis is required to help formulate prevention and control strategies, but has not been done in India. We estimated economic losses due to brucellosis by sourcing prevalence data from epidemiological surveys conducted in India. Data for livestock populations were obtained from official records. Probability distributions were used for many of the input parameters to account for uncertainty and variability. The analysis revealed that brucellosis in livestock is responsible for a median loss of US $ 3.4 billion (5th-95th percentile 2.8-4.2 billion). The disease in cattle and buffalo accounted for 95.6% of the total losses occurring due to brucellosis in livestock populations. The disease is responsible for a loss of US $ 6.8 per cattle, US$18.2 per buffalo, US $ 0.7 per sheep, US $ 0.5 per goat and US $ 0.6 per pig. These losses are additional to the economic and social consequences of the disease in humans. The results suggest that the disease causes significant economic losses in the country and should be controlled on a priority basis.