Meta-analysis of the prevalence of tuberculosis in cattle and zoonotic tuberculosis in humans in sub-Saharan Africa

Publication Type

Journal Article

Name of Author

• Alfred Ngwira, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Public Health, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
• Samuel Manda, Department of Statistics, University of Pretoria, South Africa
• Esron Daniel Karimuribo, SACIDS Foundation for One Health, SACIDS Africa Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
• Sharadhuli Iddi Kimera, SACIDS Foundation for One Health, SACIDS Africa Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania

Publication Date (Issue Year)

2025

Journal Name

One Health Outlook

Abstract

Background Tuberculosis (TB) in cattle negatively affects the cattle economy in Africa, with zoonotic TB posing drugresistance issues in humans. The burden of TB in cattle and zoonotic TB in humans in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is not well understood. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of both TB in cattle and zoonotic TB in humans in SSA through meta-analysis. Methods Research on TB prevalence was sourced from multiple databases. A random effects meta-analysis model estimated TB prevalence in SSA and its regions, while meta-regression identified risk factors. The analysis included 114 studies for cattle and 59 for humans. Results The estimated TB prevalence in cattle was 5.06% (95% CI: 3.76–6.78), with a higher burden in West Africa. The prevalence was greater on farms than at abattoirs. Among humans, M. bovis prevalence was 0.73% (95% CI: 0.53–1.01), increasing to 1.56% (95% CI: 1.04–2.33) in TB incident cases, especially in the West and East Africa. Higher prevalence was noted among livestock workers, and in drug-resistant cases. Significant factors influencing TB prevalence varied for cattle and humans, including country, diagnostic methods, and study populations. Conclusion Focusing interventions on farms and livestock workers could help reduce the disease burden

Keywords

Bovine tuberculosis, Cattle, Zoonotic tuberculosis, M. Bovis, Sub-Saharan Africa

Rsif Scholar Name

Alfred Ngwira

Rsif Scholar Nationality

Malawi

Cohort

Cohort 3

Thematic Area

Food security and Agribusiness

Africa Host University (AHU)

Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Tanzania

Funding Statement

This study was funded by the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) of the Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) (Project Grant No. P165581) grant to SACIDS Africa Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases of Humans and Animals in Southern and East Africa (SACIDS-ACE) at the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA). Alfred Ngwira is a recipient of an RSIF-PASET doctoral scholarship at SUA

Recommended Citation

Ngwira, A., Manda, S., Karimuribo, E. D., & Kimera, S. I. (2025). Meta-analysis of the prevalence of tuberculosis in cattle and zoonotic tuberculosis in humans in sub-Saharan Africa. One Health Outlook https://doi.org/doi.org/10.1186/s42522-024-00130-8