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Point Seroprevalence Survey of Ehrlichia ruminantium Infection in Small Ruminants in The Gambia

International Trypanotolerance Centre, PMB 14, Banjul, The Gambia,¹ Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, B-200 Antwerp, Belgium,² Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG, United Kingdom,³ Division of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.165, 3508 Utrecht, The Netherlands,⁴ Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa⁵

Received 25 October 2004/ Returned for modification 24 November 2004/ Accepted 7 January 2005

Using the MAP1-B enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we tested 1,318 serum samples collected from sheep and goats at 28 sites in the five divisions of The Gambia to determine the Ehrlichia ruminantium seroprevalence rates and to assess the risk for heartwater. About half (51.6%) of 639 sheep were positive, with seroprevalence rates per site varying between 6.9% and 100%. The highest seroprevalence was detected in the western part of the country (88.1% in the Western Division and 62.1% in the Lower River Division). Sheep in the two easterly divisions (Central River and Upper River divisions) showed the lowest seroprevalence of 29.3% and 32.4%, respectively, while those in the North Bank Division showed an intermediate prevalence of 40.6%. In goats, less than one-third (30.3%) of 679 animals tested were positive. The highest seroprevalence was detected in goats in the North Bank Division (59%) and Western Division (44.1%). Goats in the Lower River Division showed an intermediate level of 21.9%, whereas the lowest rates were found in the eastern part of the country (4.8% in the Central River Division and 2.3% in the Upper River Division). At nearly all sites, seroprevalence rates were higher in sheep than in goats. The results show a gradient of increasing heartwater risk for susceptible small ruminants from the east to the west of The Gambia. These findings need to be taken into consideration when future livestock-upgrading programs are implemented.