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

Background Tuberculosis (TB) in cattle negatively affects the cattle economy in Africa, with zoonotic TB posing drug-resistance 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.