The epizootiology of foot - and - mouth disease in high risk zones in Kenya

Abstract

Foot - and - mouth disease remains a serious endemic disease in Kenya causing extensive production losses in the dairy industry. I n order to understand the foot - and - mouth disease (FMD) situation in Kenya and related risk factors in high risk zones that include; the trade and stock routes, national parks and game reserves, proposed disease free zones and borderlan ds; a cross sectional sero - survey was conducted utilizing bovine serum samples at Embakasi foot - and - mouth disease laboratory. The samples were randomly collected throughout the country and screened using commercial non - structural protein antibody Elisa kit . The serology results were then extrapolated to determine the seroprevalence across several high risk zones. From the serology results, the FMD seroprevalence was higher in the Kenya/Uganda border at 95% compared to the Kenya/Somalia border (Somali ecosys tem) which had 38.1%. The seroprevalence was also higher in non - pastoral areas at 58.6% compared to pastoral regions at 53% although the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05, 95%CI) . The seroprevalence was also found to be high in the propo sed north rift disease free zone at 97.5% as well as areas bordering the Mt. Elgon national park at 100%. Similarly, t he Turkana/Pokot/Trans Nzoia/ Uasin Gishu/Nakuru/Nairobi stock route in the northern corridor was also found to have high F MD seroprevalen ce at 80.5%. The study was carried out in order to assist in policy formulation and to help county governments understand the transboundary and trans - county nature of the foot - and - mouth disease.