PREVALENCE, RISK FACTORS, AND ECONOMIC IMPACT OF PERSISTENT CATTLE DISEASES IN KANO, KADUNA, AND PLATEAU STATES, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study was carried out to determine the prevalence, risk factors and economic impact of persistent cattle diseases in Kano, Kaduna and Plateau States, Nigeria.  A total of 1,500 cattle (500 per state) were examined using validated diagnostics: Rose-Bengal Plate Test and competitive ELISA for brucellosis; NSP-3ABC ELISA and rRT-PCR for FMD; buffy coat technique and species-PCR for trypanosomiasis; Ziehl-Neelsen staining and PCR for bTB; competitive ELISA for CBPP; McMaster egg-counting and sedimentation for helminthiasis; and direct microscopy with fungal culture for dermatophytosis. Risk factors were analysed by Chi-square tests and logistic regression. Economic losses were estimated from mortality, organ condemnation and treatment cost data. A structured questionnaire administered to 186 herd owners captured community zoonotic risk behaviours. The result revealed that, helminthiasis was the most prevalent disease (61.1%; 95% CI: 58.7–63.5%), followed by FMD (27.9%), CBPP (27.2%), brucellosis (21.7%), trypanosomiasis (20.7%), dermatophytosis (10.4%), and bTB (8.5%). Significant inter-state differences were recorded for all diseases except FMD. Trypanosomiasis exhibited the widest spatial gradient, from 8.4% in Kano to 39.4% in Plateau State, reflecting Guinea Savanna tsetse ecology. Male sex was a significant risk factor for brucellosis (OR = 1.77), trypanosomiasis (OR = 1.29), and bTB (OR = 1.50). Pastoral management elevated risk for brucellosis, CBPP, and trypanosomiasis, while sedentary management increased bTB (aOR = 1.62) and dermatophytosis (aOR = 1.74) odds. Wet-season peaks were observed for trypanosomiasis (OR = 2.21) and helminthiasis (OR = 1.89); CBPP and dermatophytosis peaked during the dry season. Combined annual economic losses totalled ₦78.19 million, with trypanosomiasis imposing the highest individual disease burden. The coexistence of 21.7% bovine brucellosis seroprevalence with 78.4% raw milk consumption, 87.7% unprotected slaughter and only 25.2% veterinary service coverage signals a critical One Health emergency. Integrated disease control, scaled veterinary service delivery and multi-sectoral One Health interventions are urgently required to protect livestock productivity and community health in northern Nigeria.