Prevalence of Suspected Lesions for Bovine Tuberculosis (2019- 2021), and Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of Cattle Keepers and Abattoir Workers towards Bovine Tuberculosis in Wau Western Bahr El Ghazal State, South Sudan

Abstract

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is an infectious zoonotic and chronic bacterial disease reported widely in cattle and other animal species globally. The prevalence of BTB is known to be highest in developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. This study established the prevalence of suspected lesions of BTB based on archived abattoir-based meat inspection reports of BTB and assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) of cattle keepers and abattoir workers towards the disease in Wau and Jur River counties of Western Bahr el Ghazal State of South Sudan. Retrospective abattoir-based suspected BTB lesions data for three years (2019, 2020 & 2021) were retrieved from animal disease records of the Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries offices located in Western Bahr el Ghazal State, South Sudan. The retrospective data was used to establish the prevalence of suspected BTB-like lesions among slaughtered cattle. A pretested semi-structured questionnaire was administered to a total of 389 selected cattle keepers and abattoir workers in the study area to assess their level of knowledge, Attitude, and Practices (KAPs) regarding BTB. Analysis of the archived abattoir-based data on the annual prevalence of suspected lesions for the BTB in three-year periods (2019 – 2021), revealed a 2.3% (998/43,657) prevalence of the disease among the slaughtered cattle in the study area. The highest cases were in 2019 at 2.9%, (399/13,707) while in 2020 and 2021, it was 2.2% (339/15,386) and 1.8% (260/14,564), respectively. Although the KAPs study revealed that the highest number 82.52% (321/389) of the respondents knew about the disease, approximately half 50.16%, (161/389) did not know how BTB spread. The majority, 77.63%, (302/389), consumed raw milk, and some were fed raw meat. There was uncertainty regarding the transmission of BTB from animals to humans, yet, 76.89%, (299/389) of the respondents agreed that BTB was a threat to South Sudan. In conclusion, BTB was prevalent among cattle slaughtered at the Wau town council abattoir, the communities had limited knowledge of the mode of spread of the disease among animals and to humans. Practices of consumption of raw milk and meat were identified as crucial potential risk factors for the spread of BTB among the sampled population. Therefore, there is a need for regular screening of cattle and its products for BTB. Further study should be conducted to establish the true prevalence of BTB among cattle slaughtered in the Western Bahr el Ghazal State of South Sudan.