First Serological Evidence of Foot‐and‐Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) Infection Among Sheep and Goats in Selected Districts of Central Bangladesh

BACKGROUND: Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), caused by the FMD virus (FMDV), is a highly contagious transboundary animal disease of cloven-hooved animals that causes significant economic losses worldwide, including in Bangladesh. OBJECTIVES: This cross-sectional study was designed to assess FMDV antibodies and associated risk factors among sheep and goats in selected districts of Bangladesh. METHODS: The present study was conducted from July to December 2023 in three districts of Dhaka Division in Bangladesh to assess the seroprevalence of FMDV in unvaccinated sheep and goats. For this, a total of 372 (n = 372) blood samples were collected aseptically for serum separation and tested for antibodies against FMDV-nonstructural protein (NSP) using a commercially available ELISA kit. The hypothesized risk factors data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analysed via chi-square tests and logistic regression models to identify their association with FMD seropositivity. RESULTS: Overall seroprevalence of FMDV was 20.97% (78/372); sheep 50.0% (20/40), goats 17.5% (58/332). Firth's penalized multivariable logistic regression identified species (sheep) (AOR = 17.2, 95% CI = 6.77-48.2, p < 0.001), district (Narsingdi) (AOR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.13-0.7, p < 0.001), (Gazipur) (AOR = 17.1, 95% CI = 5.21-69, p < 0.001), feeding system (grazing) (AOR = 9.53, 95% CI = 3.45-29.6, p < 0.001), river-basin ecology (AOR = 6.32, 95% CI = 2.09-22.8, p < 0.001), and animal introduction (AOR = 2.33, 95% CI = 1.02-5.45, p = 0.044) as independent risk factors for FMD seropositivity. CONCLUSIONS: This study observed a high seroprevalence of FMDV in sheep and goats within the Dhaka division and highlights the need for broader and routine surveillance of FMD in small ruminants across Bangladesh, alongside cattle and buffaloes, to better understand its epidemiology and inform control strategies.