Oman Wires It's all about Oman
The study titled, ‘A Novel Molecular Approach to Study Brucellosis in Cattle, Sheep, Goats and Camels in the Sultanate of Oman’ shows that cattle in the location have been infected by brucellosis. In Jebel Akhdar, 11.four per cent goats had been identified infected and in Saham a single per cent cattle and a single per cent sheep had been infected.
Speaking to Muscat Daily, Dr Yasmin el Tahir, assistant professor at the Department of Animal and Veterinary at the College of Agriculture and Marine Sciences in SQU mentioned that brucellosis is a significant bacterial zoonosis – a illness that can be transmitted to humans from animals.
The study which began in 2014 will be concluded by April 2018.
In Dhofar, blood samples had been randomly collected from 50 farms in Dhofar throughout March and April 2015.
“In Batinah, the study was carried out to determine the sero-prevalence of brucellosis in livestock including sheep, goats and camels in different areas from March to April 2015. Blood samples of 248 animals (102 goats, 104 sheep and 42 camels) were tested for brucellosis.”
Dr Yasmin mentioned, “The study team comprises members Al Ghalya al Toobi and Anfal al Farsi. We also have professors, doctors and technicians from SQU’s department of Animal Veterinary Sciences. While Al Ghalya worked in Jebel Akhdar, Anfal a masters student studied the Batinah area.”
Elaborating on who can be impacted by it, Dr Yasmin mentioned, “Different mammals including man, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, swine, rodents and marine mammals can be carriers. In the host species, the disease primarily affects the reproductive system with concomitant loss in productivity of animals. In human beings, infection is associated with a spectrum of non-pathognomonic symptoms which are often mis-diagnosed resulting in serious and debilitating manifestations,” she added.
In order to manage brucellosis, extensive surveillance, pre and post-import testing is of paramount significance, Dr Yasmin mentioned. “The overall aim of this study is firstly to determine the seroprevalence [prevalence in blood] of brucellosis in the most common domestic animals in Oman. It seeks to identify the risk factors associated with the disease, determine the prevalence of brucellosis in different regions of the sultanate, and above all shed light on the important reservoirs that serve to transmit brucella. This information will facilitate development of suitable control strategies to reduce the risk of this malady in man and animals,” she added.
A French team comprising, Dr Jay Maryne, Dr Virginie Mick and Corde Yannick from the Brucellosis Reference Laboratory in Paris has also authorized the study, mentioned Dr Yasmin.
Information Source: Muscat Daily
