Using a One Health Case-Based Investigation for Improved Control of Brucellosis in Isiolo, Kenya
Abstract
Brucellais a highly pathogenic bacteria endemic in Kenya, and in spite of its severity in humans, the highly inadequate Febrile AntigenBrucellaAgglutination Test (FBAT) remains a primary tool for its diagnosis. Blood samples were collected from febrile patients in Kinna health center and screened by the local routine. Milk samples were purchased from local milk hawkers and analyzed forBrucellaantibodies using the milk ring test (MRT). The MRT-positive milk was traced to farms, and lactating cattle were sampled for milk and blood. Milk was MRT-tested and the serum was analyzed using the Rose Bengal test (RBT) and iELISA. Available patient and farm samples were stored on FTA cards for qPCR analyses. Despite a limited sample size, our study, in line with previous reports, shows a low diagnostic sensitivity (67%) and specificity (40%) of FBAT when compared to qPCR. As many as 48% of the raw bulk cattle milk samples were MRT-positive forBrucellaantibodies and 60% of cattle on three visited farms were IS711qPCR-positive. This case-based One Health investigation confirms the suspectedBrucellapresence, suggesting a targeted vaccination at high-prevalence farms, urgent interventions on milk safety, and a re-evaluation of the diagnostic and treatment regimen.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Sep 21, 2021
- Source ID
- 10.3389/fitd.2021.711425
Entities
People
- Bernard Bett
- Carolina Persson
- James Akoko
- Johanna F. Lindahl
- Philip A. Karlsson
- Åke Lundkvist
Organizations
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency