Seroprevalence and molecular detection of infection in livestock in the United Arab Emirates.

Small ruminants and camels are important livestock species in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), although infection can limit their productivity. This study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of infection and its associated risk factors in small ruminants and camels in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Additionally, seropositive animals were tested for the DNA of . Multispecies competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA) and multispecies indirect (i-ELISA) were used to test 3,086 animals from 2022 to 2023. cell surface 31 kDa protein (bcsp31) gene-based real-time polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) was used to detect DNA. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association between seroprevalence and potential risk factors. The overall seroprevalences of infection were 1.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2%-2.2%) and 5.8% (95% CI, 5.0%-6.7%) based on serial and parallel testing, respectively. The DNA of was detected in 13 of the 51 seropositive animals. The overall seroprevalence of infection was associated with the region, type of animal holding, species, and age of the animals. In conclusion, this study documented infection in small ruminants and camels in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, warranting necessary intervention strategies to eliminate infections in livestock populations.