Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Prevalence and associated risk factors of mycobacterial infections in slaughter pigs from Mubende district in Uganda

  • Published:
Tropical Animal Health and Production Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

To date, the public health relevance of mycobacterial infections in pigs is not well investigated despite high risk of infection. Recently, there has been a documented increase in opportunistic infections and risk of acquiring opportunistic mycobacterial infections in HIV/AIDS patients in Mubende district; unfortunately, there has been no published information on the epidemiology of mycobacterial infections in this area. This study was carried out between September 2008 and February 2009. Investigations were done to assess the prevalence and associated risk factors of mycobacterial infections in slaughtered pigs in Mubende district of Uganda. A total of 997 pigs (53.7% male and 46.3% female) from 31 different slaughterhouses were examined for the presence of lesions compatible with TB and mycobacterial infections. Pathologic tissue specimens were collected for culturing and isolation of mycobacteria. A cross-sectional technique was used based on convenient visits to slaughterhouses but random selection of individual slaughtered pigs for a detailed post-mortem inspection on a daily basis. The results reflected a 9.3% and 3.1% (95% CI) prevalence of Mycobacterium species based on necropsy examinations and culture isolation, respectively. The highest prevalence of mycobacterial infection was recorded in Buwekula County (the mixed agro-zone) whilst the lowest was in Kassanda County (pastoral zone). A multivariable logistical regression analysis identified age (P ≤ 0.001) and sex (P ≤ 0.05) as risk factors for mycobacterial infections in pigs. Post-estimation statistics of the regression model evaluation and validation fit it well into the data (HL, χ 2 = 5.9; P = 0.69 for necropsy, HL χ 2 = 2.9; P = 0.94 for culturing). This study documented a high prevalence of mycobacterial infections in slaughter pigs in Mubende district. The fact that pigs and human often share common housing and environment poses a high risk of zoonotic transmission. This then warrants further molecular investigation to identify the specific Mycobacterium species and their public health importance in this area.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anonymous, 2004a. Bankable investment project profile: Livestock Development Project, Food and Agricultural Organisation and New Partnership for Africa’s Development report (III of VI), 1–25

  • Anonymous, 2004b. District state of environment report Mubende, National Environment Management Authority, 1–129

  • Anonymous, 2005. First precise maps of Ugandan poverty published (book pinpoints poorest people at the county level), Uganda Bureau of Statistics 1–4

  • Anonymous, 2007. Uganda Districts: Information Handbook, Fountain Publishers, 139–149

  • Anonymous, 2009. Uganda: Tuberculosis profile, United States Agency for International Development report, http://www1.usaid.gov/our_work/global_health/id/tuberculosis/countries/africa/uganda.pdf

  • Awa, D.N., Njoya, A.C., Tama, N. and Ekue, F.N., 1999. Diseases in north Cameroon: The health status of pigs in north Cameroon, http://pigtrop.cirad.fr/subjects/animal_health/diseases_in_north_cameroon

  • Brandt, L., Cunha, J.F., Weinreich, A., Chilima, B., Hirsch, P., Appelberg, R. and Andersen, P., 2002. Failure of the Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccine: Some species of environmental mycobacteria block multiplication of BCG and induction of protective immunity to tuberculosis, Journal of Infection and Immunity 70, 672–678

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Buijtels, C.A.M.P., Marrianne, A.B., Graaf, S.D.C., Parkinson, S., Verbrugh, A.H., Petit, L.C.P. and Sooligen, V.D., 2009. Nontuberculous mycobacteria, Zambia, Journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases 15, 242--248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charette, R., Martineau, G.P., Pigeon, C., Turcotte, C. and Higgins, R., 1989. An outbreak of granulomatous lymphadenitis due to Mycobacterium avium in swine, Journal of Canadian Veterinary Medicine, 675–678

  • Coetzer, J.A.W., Tustin R.C., 2004. Infectious Diseases of livestock, (Oxford University Press, New York) 3, 1973-1987

  • Cvetnic, Z., Spicic, S., Jankovic, V.K., Marjanovic, S., Obrovac, M., Benic, M. and Palvlik, I., 2006. Mycobacterium caprae infection in cattle and pigs on one family farm in Croatia: A case report, Veterinarni Medicina 523–531

  • Griffith, D.E., Aksamit, T., Brown-Elliott, B.A., Catanzaro, A., Daley, C., Gordin, F., Holland, S.M., Horsburgh, R., Huitt, G., Iademarco, M.F., Iseman, M., Olivier, K., Ruoss, S., von Reyn, C.F., Wallace, R.J., Jr., Winthrop, K. and on behalf of the ATS Mycobacterial Diseases Subcommittee, 2007. An Official ATS/IDSA Statement: Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of nontuberculous mycobacterial diseases, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 175, 367–416

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Huang, C., Tsai, Y., Shu, C., Lei, Y., Wang, J., Yu, C., Lee, L., Yang, P. and the TAMI Group, 2009. Clinical significance of isolation of nontuberculous mycobacteria in pulmonary tuberculosis patients, Journal of Respiratory Medicine, 103, 1484–1491

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johansen, T., Olsen, I., Jensen, M., Dahle, U., Holstad, G. and Djonne, B., 2007. New probes used for IS1245 and IS1311 restriction fragment length polymorphism of Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium and Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis isolates of human and animal origin in Norway, BMC Microbiology, 7, 14

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Komijn, R.E., de Haas, P.E., Schneider, M.M., Eger, T., Nieuwenhuijs, J.H., van den Hoek, R.J., Bakker, D., van Zijd Erveld, F.G. and van Soolingen, D., 1999. Prevalence of Mycobacterium avium in slaughter pigs in The Netherlands and comparison of IS1245 restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns of porcine and human isolates, Journal of Clinical Microbiology 37, 1254--1259

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Magezi, S.A.K., 2009. The rain fall outlook for March to May 2009 rainfall season, Ministry of Water and Environment Department of Metrology Uganda, 1–5

  • Mohamed, A.M., Abou El-Ella, G.A. and Nasr, E.A., 2009. Phenotypic and molecular typing of tuberculous and nontuberculous Mycobacterium species from slaughtered pigs in Egypt, Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 21, 48--52

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oloya, J., Muma, J.B., Opuda-Asibo, J., Djønne, B., Kazwala, R. and Skjerve, E., 2007. Risk factors for herd-level bovine-tuberculosis seropositivity in transhumant cattle in Uganda, Journal of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 80, 318-329

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pavlik, I., Svastova, P., Bartl, J., Dvorska, L. and Rychlik, I., 2000. Relationship between IS901 in the Mycobacterium avium complex strains isolated from birds, animals, humans, and the environment and virulence for poultry, Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology 7, 212--217

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pfyffer, G., Welscher, H., Kissling, P., Cieslak, C., Casal, M., Gutierrez, J. and Rusch- Gerdes, S., 1997. Comparison of the Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT) with radiometric and solid culture for recovery of acid-fast bacilli, Journal of Clinical Microbiology 35, 364–368

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, P., Bonner, S., Gataric, N., Bai, T., Wilcox, P., Hogg, R., O’Shaughnessy, M. and Montaner, J., 2005. Nontuberculous mycobacterial immune reconstitution syndrome in HIV–infected patients: Spectrum of disease and long–term follow–up, Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases, 41, 1483–1497

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tirkkonen, T., Pakarinen, J., Moisander, A.M., Maekinen, J., Soini, H. and Ali-Vehmas, T., 2007. High genetic relatedness among Mycobacterium avium strains isolated from pigs and humans revealed by comparative IS1245 RFLP analysis, Journal of Veterinary Microbiology 125, 175–181

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Valheim, M., Djonne, B., Heiene, R. and Caugant, D.A., 2001. Disseminated Mycobacterium celatum (Type 3) infection in a domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo), Journal of Veterinary Pathology, 38, 460–463

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Norwegian government for the financial support through the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science and the Quota scholarship scheme. We would also like to thank Kenneth Okanga for the laboratory work in Uganda, Dr. Lunze George, Dr. Asimwe Alani, Dr. Mwanje Gerald, Mr.Willy Yawe and all the Mubende district and sub-county officials for making it easy for us to collect samples in this district.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, P.O. Box 8146 Dep., 0033, Oslo, Norway

    Adrian Muwonge, Demelash Biffa, Takele Ayanaw & Eystein Skjerve

  2. Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda

    Clovice Kankya & John Opuda-Asibo

  3. Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Section of Arctic Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Stakkevollveien 23, 9010, Tromsø, Norway

    Jacques Godfroid

  4. National Veterinary Institute, Ullevalsveien 68, P.O. Box 8156 Dep., 0033, Oslo, Norway

    Berit Djonne

  5. Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia

    Musso Munyeme

Authors
  1. Adrian Muwonge
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Clovice Kankya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jacques Godfroid
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Berit Djonne
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. John Opuda-Asibo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Demelash Biffa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Takele Ayanaw
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Musso Munyeme
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Eystein Skjerve
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Adrian Muwonge.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Muwonge, A., Kankya, C., Godfroid, J. et al. Prevalence and associated risk factors of mycobacterial infections in slaughter pigs from Mubende district in Uganda. Trop Anim Health Prod 42, 905–913 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-009-9506-5

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-009-9506-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation