Brucellosis: the situation in Western Nigeria

Over 55% of 7161 people examined in different parts of Western Nigeria have positive Brucella abortus-antibodies in their sera. Higher incidence of titres were found among dairy farmers and slaughtermen than in the general population. The rates of infection among the human and the cattle populations in two farms studied were very similar. There was evidence of high rate of cross-infections going on in one of these farms: more than 63% of the herd in this farm showed serological evidence of active brucellosis. The socio-economic implications of high incidence of bovine brucellosis in a rapidly developing country, like Nigeria, are outlined. The need for the establishment of public health laboratories to facilitate early diagnosis of active disease and the necessity for full collaboration between the medical and veterinary professions for the proper control (and eradication) of brucellosis in Nigeria are discussed.