PREVALENCE AND DETERMINANTS OF BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS IN PREVALENCE AND DETERMINANTS OF BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS IN CATTLE IN SYLHET DISTRICT CATTLE IN SYLHET DISTRICT

Abstract

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a chronic, wasting, infectious and zoonotically important disease that can infect wide variety of animal species as well as humans. This disease has socio-economic and public health importance and is of great significance to international trade of animals and animal products. A cross-sectional study was conducted in all 12 upzillas of Sylhet District from 1 September 2014 to 28 February 2015. A total of 512 cattle were tested randomly by using caudal fold tuberculin (CFT) test from 48 farms which included 325 indigenous breed and 187 crossbred cattle. Out of 512 only one cattle was tested as reactor and the estimated prevalence was 0.19 % (95% Confidence Interval; 0% - 0.58%). Sylhet is known to have low cattle density. Therefore, it is expected that probability of between animal transmissions of bTB was relatively less in Sylhet from other parts of the country with high cattle density. The indigenous cattle are more resistance than the cross-bred which may be the reason of low prevalence. Due to low sensitivity, the test was not capable to identify the truly bTB positive cattle. As the prevalence of bTB in cattle in Sylhet district is very low, rather it is close to zero indicating most of the upzilas of Sylhet district is free of the bTB infection and it will be beneficial if Sylhet will be able to maintain the current situation on bTB infection in cattle.