Risk Factors for Bovine Tuberculosis Transmission in Burkina Faso’s Cattle Herds

Abstract

Bovine tuberculosis is a zoonotic disease, primarily caused by Mycobacterium bovis, that poses a serious threat to both human and animal health. Understanding the risk factors that contribute to its spread is critical for developing effective prevention and control strategies. This cross-sectional study investigated risk factors associated with bovine tuberculosis in cattle herds in Burkina Faso. A structured survey questionnaire was administered to 204 cattle breeders randomly selected across seven regions of Burkina Faso in local languages. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the risk factors associated with the occurrence of bTB. Of 204, 36.3% of survey respondents reported post-mortem bTB cases in their herds. Introduction of new animals (OR = 4.37; 95% CI [2.011; 9.534]; p < 0.05) and herd size (OR = 2.74; 95% CI [1.318; 5.689]; p < 0.05) emerged as the strongest predictors of bTB. However, risk factors were statistically non-significant (p >0.05) with an odds ratio (OR) >1 and 95% CI [0.817; 10.03], [0.341; 4.0421] and [0.776; 7.0281] respectively for water point sharing, pasture sharing and distance between farms and dwellings. Strengthening farm-level biosecurity and improving disease awareness among breeders could significantly reduce bovine tuberculosis transmission in Burkina Faso.