Seroprevalence and associated factors of foot-and-mouth disease virus antibodies in cattle in Africa and Asia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Authors

Lian-Min Li, Fang-Fang Zhao, Lin Han, Xin-Yao Xu, Hai-Ning Zhao, Yong-Li Guo, Ming-Chun Gao

Published in

Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997). Pages 106897. Sep 25, 2026. Epub Sep 25, 2026.

Abstract

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious transboundary animal disease that continues to threaten livestock production and trade, particularly in endemic regions. Cattle are among the principal livestock species affected. However, comprehensive assessments of regional variation in FMDV antibody seroprevalence and its associated epidemiological factors remain limited. This study aimed to systematically evaluate FMDV antibody seroprevalence in cattle across Asia and Africa and to identify potential factors associated with variation in serological exposure.
A systematic literature search was conducted in seven databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, CNKI, WanFang, CAB Abstracts, and VIP) to identify studies published up to 16 October 2024 that reported FMDV antibody seroprevalence in cattle from Asia and/or Africa. Eligible studies were selected according to predefined criteria, and study quality was assessed using a standardized scoring approach. Random-effects meta-analysis, sensitivity analysis, assessment of publication bias, and subgroup analyses were performed to estimate pooled FMDV antibody seroprevalence and explore potential sources of heterogeneity.
A total of 67 studies were included. The pooled FMDV antibody seroprevalence in cattle across Asia and Africa was 26.86%. However, extremely high between-study heterogeneity was observed (I² = 99.3%), and the pooled estimate should therefore be interpreted cautiously as an overall epidemiological summary of FMDV antibody exposure. Regional analysis showed that FMDV antibody seroprevalence was significantly higher in Africa (35.37%, 95% CI: 26.35-45.55) than in Asia (16.36%, 95% CI: 10.82-23.96). Unvaccinated herds exhibited a significantly higher FMDV antibody seroprevalence (37.59%, 95% CI: 23.55-54.07) than vaccinated herds (14.39%, 95% CI: 5.45-32.91). Among the FMDV serotypes evaluated, serotype O showed the highest pooled FMDV antibody seroprevalence (47.16%, 95% CI: 23.45-72.24), with significant differences among serotypes. Mixed-serotype antibody positivity was also observed (8.80%, 95% CI: 3.82-18.99).
FMDV antibody seroprevalence was substantial among cattle populations across Asia and Africa, with considerable regional variation and higher levels of serological exposure observed in Africa. Higher FMDV antibody seroprevalence was observed among unvaccinated herds, whereas serotype O exhibited the highest pooled FMDV antibody seroprevalence among the serotypes evaluated. These findings highlight the importance of sustained serological surveillance, region-specific vaccination strategies, appropriate vaccine matching, and strengthened biosecurity measures to support evidence-based FMD prevention and control.

PMID:
42790689
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 26 Sep 2026.

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