Epidemiology of Brucella infection and cost of reproductive disorders in dairy animals in Assam and Bihar, India

Brucellosis is one of the most important zoonotic diseases in the world and one of the most important causes of reproductive disorders in livestock. The disease is endemic in India. The This study aimed to assess seroprevalence, risk factors, and clinical predictors of Brucella infection in dairy animals, along with the relevant knowledge and practices of farmers and also the cost of reproductive disorders in dairy farming. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the states of Assam and Bihar, India through a primary survey of 534 randomly selected dairy farming households and serological investigation of 740 blood samples collected from their dairy animals (cattle and buffalo).  From laboratory analysis, animal-level Brucella seropositivity was 15.9% in Assam and 0.3% in Bihar. Three identified risk factors for Brucella seropositivity in Assam were geographical location (district) (pThe findings help in identifying future research priorities and limitations and designing effective Brucella control programme in dairy farming in India and beyond.