Prevalence of bovine brucellosis in India: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Bovine brucellosis is a highly contagious zoonotic disease that hinders production and is a vital public health concern. Even though brucellosis is one of the important diseases in India, the exact prevalence details of the disease are not known. OBJECTIVE: To derive an estimate of the prevalence of brucellosis in India. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out by using PRISMA and MOOSE protocols. A total of 133 studies were taken from online sources and various publications. Among these, 69 studies were incorporated that include a total of 140908 bovines. The data were compiled from 1990 to 2019 around India. RESULTS: Pooled estimates of the prevalence of brucellosis in cattle and buffaloes were 16.6% (95% CI: 13.0, 21.1) and 14.2% (95% CI: 8.9, 21.8), respectively and in bovines was 15.1% (95% CI: 12.0, 18.8). The meta-analysis revealed that there was significant heterogeneity between the published studies. CONCLUSION: As the prevalence of bovine brucellosis in India is not known hence the present study will provide the knowledge on prevalence and epidemiology of bovine brucellosis in India and will be helpful for the government to make policy plans to control this disease in India.