Seroprevalence of West Nile Fever and Associated Risk Factors in Livestock of Afar Region, Northeast Ethiopia.

Abstract

Sub-Saharan Africa has long been prone to widespread mosquito-borne diseases affecting both humans and animals. However, the presence and impact of West Nile virus (WNV) among livestock in Ethiopia have not been thoroughly investigated. The objective of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence of West Nile virus in livestock in the Afar region using serological methods. A total of 736 serum samples were collected from 224 cattle, 155 camels, 144 sheep, 121 goats, and 92 donkeys in the Amibara and Haruka districts of the Afar region selected using haphazard sampling. Among 736 tested livestock serum samples, 50.7% (373/736) showed anti-WNV IgG antibodies evaluated using the ID screen^® WNV competition multispecies ELISA kits (95% CI: 47-54.4%; p < 0.01). The seroprevalence was higher (p < 0.01) in donkeys (76.1%), followed by camels (69.1%), cattle (52.2%), goats (34.7%), and sheep (25.7%). The study showed a statistically significant difference of WNV seropositivity between species of animals AOR (1.5), 95% CI (1.038-2.212) (p < 0.01). Compared with sheep, donkeys had a seven-fold higher chance of being seropositive for WNV infection (OR: 6.447, 95% CI = 3.888-10.688) (p < 0.01). This study emphasizes how common WNV infection is in Ethiopia's pastoral Afar region. It is imperative to consider consistent surveillance of WNV infection and prompt management of identified WNV disease in clinical practice. A clear need exists to build additional research capacity regarding WNV infections among both humans and animals.