Assessment of Haematological Profile Clustering Differences in Brucella-Infected Goats across Urban, Peri-Urban, and Rural Areas of Central Uganda

Author(s): Hellen Ndagire, Kizito M Muwonge, Julius Mulindwa, Charles K. Twesigye

Goats provide income to small and medium-scale farmers in developing countries through sale of meat and skins. Brucella is a zoonotic intracellular pathogen with poorly established impact on haematological profiles among goats. The haematological profiles serve as prior indicators of preclinical and para-clinical assessments. Disease and livestock management systems affect their haematological profiles. This study aimed to assess seroprevalence of asymptomatic brucellosis in apparently healthy goats in central Uganda and establish their associated haematological alterations. Haematological profiles of 396 apparently healthy goats from Kassanda [rural, n = 155, 39%], Wakiso [peri-urban, n = 150, 38%] and Kampala [urban, n = 91, 23%] Districts were determined. Body condition scores and farming systems were recorded. Venous blood samples were screened for brucellosis with Rose Bengal plate test. A complete blood count was determined by microscopy. PCV and haemoglobin were determined by haematocrit and colorimetry, respectively. Brucellosis seroprevalence was 3.33% [n = 13/396] among goats, whereas it was 4.5% [n = 7/155], 3.3% [n = 5/150] and 1.09% [n = 1/91] among animals from rural, peri-urban and urban districts, respectively. Principal component analysis based on haematological profiles generated three clusters from brucellosis-positive samples by site of origin. Haematological profiles varied among urban, peri-urban and rural Brucella seropositive apparently healthy goats owing to grazing systems at different sites. These conditions possibly impacted the stress levels and body condition scores, which allowed the goats to respond differently to the infection.