Seroprevalence and risk factors for bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis in beef and dairy cattle in Hubei Province, China

Abstract Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) and brucellosis are significant zoonoses that pose serious challenges to the cattle industry and present risks to human health. This study focused on dairy and beef cattle farms in Hubei Province, China, with the aim of assessing the current seroprevalence and identifying risk factors associated with these diseases. A comprehensive serological survey was conducted in Hubei Province from May 2023 to January 2024. Using a stratified systematic sampling approach, we collected 5889 samples from 160 cattle farms across the province to evaluate the prevalence of bTB and brucellosis. The results indicated an overall individual seroprevalence of 1.9% for bTB, with notable regional variations, whereas brucellosis had a higher individual seroprevalence of 2.9%. At the herd level, the prevalence of bTB was 17.5%, whereas it was 8.1% for brucellosis. Notably, the highest individual prevalence of both diseases was recorded in southwestern Hubei. The analysis also revealed that dairy cattle were more frequently positive for both bTB (Odds ratio (OR) = 4.9, 95% CI: 3.3, 7.3) and brucellosis (OR = 11.8, 95% CI: 8.6, 16.1) than beef cattle were. Generalized linear mixed models also revealed that dairy cattle had greater odds of infection than beef cattle did for both bTB (OR = 6.01, 95% CI: 1.4, 25.9, p = 0.017) and brucellosis (OR = 8.11, 95% CI: 1.7, 38.1, p = 0.008) at the herd level. The herd size did not significantly affect disease incidence. These results highlight the critical need for focused intervention tactics, strengthened biosecurity protocols, and enhanced surveillance programs to protect public health and improve animal welfare.