Seroprevalence of foot-and-mouth disease in goats from Matabeleland South Province of Zimbabwe

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the level of exposure to the South African Territories (SAT) serotypes (SAT1, SAT2 and SAT3) of the foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) of apparently healthy, unvaccinated indigenous goats from four selected districts of Matabeleland South Province in Zimbabwe. A total of 538 serum samples from the four districts were tested using the solid phase blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The overall seroprevalence was 1.5% (8/538; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.7 – 3.03) and it varied from 0% (Beitbridge district) to 7.3% (Bulilimamangwe district). A significant p value (p = 0.012) was obtained between Bulilimamangwe and Gwanda districts only. The other values among the rest of the districts were not significant (p > 0.05). Of the sero-positive samples; 3 were positive to SAT1, 3 to SAT2 and 2 to SAT3. Our results provide the first serological indication of the presence of antibodies against FMDV in goats in Zimbabwe.

Keywords: Foot-and-mouth disease, Goats, Seroprevalence, Zimbabwe