Sero-Prevalence of Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia in Goats in Afgoye District Lower Shabelle Region, Somalia

Background: Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP), caused by Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. Capripneumoniae (Mccp), is one of the most important goat diseases causing high morbidity and mortality, these results in heavy economic losses to countries like Somalia, which is a country affected the civil war of the 1990s. Objective: Generally, the disease presence has been reported in the country. However, there is no quantitative data on the prevalence and distribution of the disease has been scientifically reported in the country. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2019 to June 2020 in three villages of Afgoye district of Somalia to assess the seroprevalence and identify the associated risk factors for the occurrence of the CCPP. The risk factors considered included sex, age, and locations. Results: A total of 100 blood samples were collected and evaluated by Capri-Latex Agglutination Test (Capri-LAT). A total of 49/100 (49%, CI 95%: (38.86%-59.2%) goats were seropositive for anti-CCPP antibody. The epidemiological risk factors considered, sex, age and locations, were not significantly associated with the CCPP sero prevalence (p>0.05). However, the sero positivity was slightly higher in female (51%, 95% CI: 39.8-62.6), >3 years old goats (86.3%, 95% CI: 48.9-87.4) and Markazka village (56%, 95% CI: 41.3-70.0) compared to male (40%, 95% CI: 19.1-63.9), 1-3 years old (57.5%, 95% CI: 40.9- 73.0), and Shareeco (43.8%, 95% CI: 19.8-70.1) and Siinka (41.2%, 95% CI: 24.7-59.3) villages, respectively. Conclusion: The present study indicates the prevalence of CCPP in the studies areas and this requires practicable measures to be put in place towards the control of the disease.