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Ntivuguruzwa JB, Babaman Kolo F, Mwikarago EI, van Heerden H. Seroprevalence of brucellosis and molecular characterization of Brucella spp. from slaughtered cattle in Rwanda. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0261595. [PMID: 36413520 PMCID: PMC9681097 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Bovine brucellosis is endemic in Rwanda, although, there is a paucity of documented evidence about the disease in slaughtered cattle. A cross-sectional study was conducted in slaughtered cattle (n = 300) to determine the seroprevalence of anti-Brucella antibodies using the Rose Bengal Test (RBT), and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA). Corresponding tissues were cultured onto a modified Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria (CITA) selective medium and analysed for Brucella spp. using the 16S-23S ribosomal interspacer region (ITS), AMOS, and Bruce-ladder PCR assays. The seroprevalence was 20.7% (62/300) with RBT, 2.9% (8/300) with i-ELISA, and 2.9% (8/300) using both tests in series. Brucella-specific 16S-23S ribosomal DNA interspace region (ITS) PCR detected Brucella DNA in 5.6% (17/300; Brucella culture prevalence). AMOS-PCR assay identified mixed B. abortus and B. melitensis (n = 3), B. abortus (n = 3) and B. melitensis (n = 5) while Bruce-ladder PCR also identified B. abortus (n = 5) and B. melitensis (n = 6). The gold standard culture method combined with PCR confirmation identified 5.6% Brucella cultures and this culture prevalence is higher than the more sensitive seroprevalence of 2.9%. This emphasizes the need to validate the serological tests in Rwanda. The mixed infection caused by B. abortus and B. melitensis in slaughtered cattle indicates cross-infection and poses a risk of exposure potential to abattoir workers. It is essential to urgently strengthen a coordinated national bovine brucellosis vaccination and initiate a test-and-slaughter program that is not presently applicable in Rwanda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Bosco Ntivuguruzwa
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
- * E-mail:
| | - Francis Babaman Kolo
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Emil Ivan Mwikarago
- Department of Biomedical Services, National Reference Laboratory Division, Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Henriette van Heerden
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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Ntivuguruzwa JB, Kolo FB, Gashururu R, Uwibambe E, Musanayire V, Ingabire A, Umurerwa L, Mwikarago EI, van Heerden H. Molecular characterization of Brucella spp. from seropositive herds of cattle farmed at the wildlife-livestock-human interface in Rwanda. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:1017851. [PMID: 36304409 PMCID: PMC9592924 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1017851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Seroprevalence studies showed that brucellosis is prevalent in cattle in Rwanda with no recent study on the characterization of Brucella spp. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize Brucella spp. in seropositive herds of cattle farmed at the wildlife–livestock–human interface. Whole blood samples (n = 118), milk (n = 41), and vaginal swabs (n = 51) were collected from 64 seropositive herds. All samples (n = 210) were inoculated onto modified Centro de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agroalimentaria (CITA) selective medium. Cultures were analyzed to detect Brucella spp. using 16S−23S ribosomal DNA interspacer region (ITS) PCR, the Brucella cultures were speciated using AMOS and Bruce-ladder PCR assays. Brucella spp. were detected in 16.7% (35/210) of the samples established from the samples using ITS-PCR. The AMOS PCR assay identified mixed Brucella abortus and B. melitensis (n = 6), B. abortus (n = 7), and B. melitensis (n = 1) from cultures from blood samples; mixed B. abortus and B. melitensis (n = 1) and B. abortus (n = 4) from cultures from milk samples; mixed B. abortus and B. melitensis (n = 6), B. abortus (n = 8), and B. melitensis (n = 1) from cultures from vaginal swabs. Bruce-ladder PCR assay confirmed B. abortus and B. melitensis cultures. The isolation of Brucella spp. was significantly associated with districts, with the Nyagatare district having more isolates than other districts (p = 0.01). This study identified single or mixed B. abortus and B. melitensis infections in cattle samples in Rwanda, which emphasizes the need to improve brucellosis control at the wildlife–livestock–human interface and raise the awareness of cattle keepers, abattoir workers, laboratory personnel, and consumers of cattle products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Bosco Ntivuguruzwa
- Bovine Tuberculosis and Brucellosis Programme, Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa,Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda,*Correspondence: Jean Bosco Ntivuguruzwa
| | - Francis Babaman Kolo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Richard Gashururu
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Evodie Uwibambe
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Vestine Musanayire
- Department of Animal Resources and Veterinary Services, Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Board, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Angelique Ingabire
- Department of Animal Resources and Veterinary Services, Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Board, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Lydia Umurerwa
- Department of Animal Resources and Veterinary Services, Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Board, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Emil Ivan Mwikarago
- National Reference Laboratory Division, Department of Biomedical Services, Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Henriette van Heerden
- Bovine Tuberculosis and Brucellosis Programme, Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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Ntivuguruzwa JB, Kolo FB, Mwikarago EI, vanHeerden H. Characterization of Brucella spp. and other abortigenic pathogens from aborted tissues of cattle and goats in Rwanda. Vet Med Sci 2022; 8:1655-1663. [PMID: 35420251 PMCID: PMC9297783 DOI: 10.1002/vms3.805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Abortions cause tremendous economic losses in food‐producing animals and may lead to food insecurity. Objectives This study aimed to characterize Brucella spp. and other abortigenic pathogens from aborted tissues of cattle. Methods For cattle, aborted tissues (n = 19) were cultured, and Brucella spp. were detected using the genus‐specific 16S‐23S ribosomal DNA interspacer region (ITS) assay and speciated using Brucella abortus, Brucella melitensis, Brucella ovis, and Brucella suis (AMOS) and Bruce‐ladder PCR assays. Brucella negative samples were screened using the eight abortigenic pathogens PCR panel. Samples from an abortion outbreak that occurred within a goat tribe were included in this investigation. Sera of females (n = 8) and males (n = 2) were analyzed using the Rose Bengal Test (RBT) and indirect enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (i‐ELISA), while vaginal swabs (n = 3) and aborted tissues (n = 1) were cultured and characterized. Results The ITS‐PCR detected Brucella DNA in cultures from two aborted tissues of cattle (10.5%, [2/19]), which were identified as B. melitensis (n = 1), and B. abortus (n = 1) using AMOS and Bruce‐ladder PCR assays. Campylobacter fetus (n = 7) and Leptospira spp. (n = 4) including co‐infections (n = 2) of C. fetus and Leptospira spp. were identified from the Brucella negative samples of cattle. Goats (100.0%, 10/10) were brucellosis seropositive on RBT and i‐ELISA. Mixed infections caused by B. melitensis and B. abortus were isolated from the vaginal swabs (n = 3) and aborted tissues (n = 1). Discussion and conclusions This is the first identification of abortion‐associated pathogens in aborted cattle indicating the enormous financial losses and a threat to public health. It is therefore essential to include these identified pathogens in the surveillance scheme of veterinary and human services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Bosco Ntivuguruzwa
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.,Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Francis Babaman Kolo
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Emil Ivan Mwikarago
- Department of Human Medicine and Device assessment and Registration, Rwanda Food and Drug Administration, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Henriette vanHeerden
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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Affara M, Lagu HI, Achol E, Karamagi R, Omari N, Ochido G, Kezakarayagwa E, Kabatesi F, Nkeshimana A, Roba A, Ndia MN, Abudo MU, Kabanda A, Mpabuka E, Mwikarago EI, Kutjok PE, Samson DD, Deng LL, Moremi N, Kelly ME, Mkama PBM, Magesa A, Balinandi SK, Pimundu G, Nabadda SN, Puradiredja DI, Hinzmann J, Duraffour S, Gabriel M, Ruge G, Loag W, Ayiko R, Sonoiya SS, May J, Katende MJ, Gehre F. The East African Community (EAC) mobile laboratory networks in Kenya, Burundi, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, and South Sudan-from project implementation to outbreak response against Dengue, Ebola, COVID-19, and epidemic-prone diseases. BMC Med 2021; 19:160. [PMID: 34238298 PMCID: PMC8266482 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-021-02028-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND East Africa is home to 170 million people and prone to frequent outbreaks of viral haemorrhagic fevers and various bacterial diseases. A major challenge is that epidemics mostly happen in remote areas, where infrastructure for Biosecurity Level (BSL) 3/4 laboratory capacity is not available. As samples have to be transported from the outbreak area to the National Public Health Laboratories (NPHL) in the capitals or even flown to international reference centres, diagnosis is significantly delayed and epidemics emerge. MAIN TEXT The East African Community (EAC), an intergovernmental body of Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan, received 10 million € funding from the German Development Bank (KfW) to establish BSL3/4 capacity in the region. Between 2017 and 2020, the EAC in collaboration with the Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine (Germany) and the Partner Countries' Ministries of Health and their respective NPHLs, established a regional network of nine mobile BSL3/4 laboratories. These rapidly deployable laboratories allowed the region to reduce sample turn-around-time (from days to an average of 8h) at the centre of the outbreak and rapidly respond to epidemics. In the present article, the approach for implementing such a regional project is outlined and five major aspects (including recommendations) are described: (i) the overall project coordination activities through the EAC Secretariat and the Partner States, (ii) procurement of equipment, (iii) the established laboratory setup and diagnostic panels, (iv) regional training activities and capacity building of various stakeholders and (v) completed and ongoing field missions. The latter includes an EAC/WHO field simulation exercise that was conducted on the border between Tanzania and Kenya in June 2019, the support in molecular diagnosis during the Tanzanian Dengue outbreak in 2019, the participation in the Ugandan National Ebola response activities in Kisoro district along the Uganda/DRC border in Oct/Nov 2019 and the deployments of the laboratories to assist in SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics throughout the region since early 2020. CONCLUSIONS The established EAC mobile laboratory network allows accurate and timely diagnosis of BSL3/4 pathogens in all East African countries, important for individual patient management and to effectively contain the spread of epidemic-prone diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muna Affara
- Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,East African Community (EAC), Arusha, Tanzania
| | | | | | | | - Neema Omari
- Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,East African Community (EAC), Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Grace Ochido
- Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,East African Community (EAC), Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Eric Kezakarayagwa
- National Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health and Fight Against AIDS, Bujumbura, Burundi
| | - Francine Kabatesi
- National Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health and Fight Against AIDS, Bujumbura, Burundi
| | - Anatole Nkeshimana
- National Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health and Fight Against AIDS, Bujumbura, Burundi
| | - Abdi Roba
- National Public Health Laboratories, Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Mamo U Abudo
- National Public Health Laboratories, Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Alice Kabanda
- National Reference Laboratory Division, Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Ministry of Health, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Etienne Mpabuka
- National Reference Laboratory Division, Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Ministry of Health, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Emil Ivan Mwikarago
- National Reference Laboratory Division, Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Ministry of Health, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Philip Ezekiel Kutjok
- Public Health Laboratory and National Blood Transfusion Centre, Ministry of Health, Juba, South Sudan
| | - Donald Duku Samson
- Public Health Laboratory and National Blood Transfusion Centre, Ministry of Health, Juba, South Sudan
| | - Lul Lojok Deng
- Public Health Laboratory and National Blood Transfusion Centre, Ministry of Health, Juba, South Sudan
| | - Nyambura Moremi
- Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dodoma, Tanzania.,National Health Laboratory, Quality Assurance and Training Centre, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Maria Ezekiely Kelly
- Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dodoma, Tanzania.,National Health Laboratory, Quality Assurance and Training Centre, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Peter Bernard Mtesigwa Mkama
- Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dodoma, Tanzania.,National Health Laboratory, Quality Assurance and Training Centre, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Alex Magesa
- Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dodoma, Tanzania.,National Health Laboratory, Quality Assurance and Training Centre, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | | | - Godfrey Pimundu
- National Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services (NHLDS), Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Susan Ndidde Nabadda
- National Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services (NHLDS), Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Dewi Ismajani Puradiredja
- Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Julia Hinzmann
- Virology Department, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sophie Duraffour
- Virology Department, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martin Gabriel
- Virology Department, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gerd Ruge
- Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Wibke Loag
- Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Juergen May
- Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hamburg, Germany.,Tropical Medicine II, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Florian Gehre
- Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany. .,East African Community (EAC), Arusha, Tanzania.
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