A Systematic review and meta-analysis of bovine tuberculosis prevalence in Ethiopia from 2015 to 2025

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) remains a major constraint to cattle production and poses a significant zoonotic threat in Ethiopia. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to quantitatively synthesize published evidence on the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in Ethiopia between 2015 and 2025 and provide an updated pooled prevalence estimate to inform disease control strategies and guide future research priorities. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and African Journals Online for studies published between January 30, 2015 to December 25, 2025. Eligible observational studies were identified following PRISMA guidelines. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed to estimate pooled prevalence. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression explored heterogeneity by publication year, geographic region, study setting, diagnostic method, and sample size. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) were estimated for age, sex, breed, body condition, and herd size. Thirty-four studies were included. The pooled prevalence of bTB was 7.86% (95% CI: 5.43– 10.70%), with substantial heterogeneity (I 2 = 99.2%). Adult (OR = 1.40; 95% CI: 1.11–1.75) and older cattle (OR = 2.14; 95% CI: 1.67–2.75) had significantly higher odds of bTB than young animals. Local breeds had lower odds of infection than exotic breeds (OR = 0.53; 95% CI: 0.45–0.63). Medium (OR = 0.61; 95% CI: 0.52–0.70) and good body condition (OR = 0.52; 95% CI: 0.43–0.62) were associated with lower odds of infection than poor body condition. Male cattle had lower odds of bTB than females (OR = 0.67; 95% CI: 0.59–0.77), whereas cattle in medium-sized (OR = 1.66; 95% CI: 1.19–2.31) and large herds (OR = 4.31; 95% CI: 3.13–5.93) had higher odds of infection than those in small herds. Bovine tuberculosis remains endemic in Ethiopia, with significant geographical variation. Older age, exotic breed, poor body condition, female, and larger herd size were significant risk factors. These findings support risk-based surveillance, strengthened farm biosecurity, and integrated One Health strategies to improve bTB control in Ethiopia.