Professor Kassahun Asmare Wondim
Personal Details
Qualification (DVM, MSc, PhD)
Profession Veterinary Epidemiologist
Educational Background
• Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Center for Epidemiology and Biostatistics 2011-2013. PhD in Veterinary Medicine and Science.
• Addis Ababa University School of Graduate Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine 2003-2004. MSc in Tropical Veterinary Epidemiology.
• Addis Ababa University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 1992-1997. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
Work Experience
Professor Kassahun started working in Sidama zone, Aleta wendo district as afield veterinarian in the year 1997. After 6 years of service; he joined the faculty of veterinary medicine at Addis Ababa University for second degree and received MSc in tropical veterinary epidemiology. For one year he served as zonal livestock and fisheries resource co-coordinator in southern Ethiopia and joined the academia on the 19th of August, 2005. Kassahun had the honor of being faculty member with an academic rank of assistant professor at Hawassa University, School of Veterinary Medicine. Over the years, he served
the university at various capacities. These include, Associate dean and Dean of the faculty of veterinary medicine for two consecutive terms (2005-2010), instructor for both under and postgraduate programs, researcher and research advisor. In 2011 he joined the Norwegian School of Veterinary Sciences in Oslo, Norway and received a PhD degree in Veterinary Medicine and Science. Apart from teaching and research he also had the privilege of working as consultant in the areas of livestock diseases, pastoral development, animal health strategy, and animal health policy analysis to national and international organizations. In this connection he has been contracted by, among others, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), International Center for Agriculture in Dry Areas (ICARDA), Tufts University African regional office and International institute for Environment and Development (IIED),Vétérinaires sans Frontières Suisse (VSF-suiss) and the Ethiopian Veterinary Association (EVA).
Research and Selected Publications (2010-2017)
• Asmare K., Abayneh T. , Sibhat B., Shiferaw D. , Szonyi B. , Krontveit R.I., Skjerve E., Wieland B., (2017). Major vectors and vector-borne diseases in small ruminants in Ethiopia: A systematic review. Acta tropica 170, 95-104.
• Asmare K., Sibhat B., Abera M., Haile A., Degefu H., Fentie T., Bekele J., Terefe G., Szonyi B., Robertson L. J., Wieland B., (2016). Systematic review and meta-analysis of metacestode prevalence in small ruminants in Ethiopia. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 129, 99-107.
• Asmare K., Abayneh T., Mekuria S., Ayelet G., Sibhat, B., Eystein S., Barbara S., Barbara W., (2016) A Meta-analysis of Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP) in Ethiopia. Acta Tropica 158, 231-239.
• Asmare K., Abebe R., Sheferaw D., Krontveit R. I., Barbara W., (2016). Mange mite infestation in small ruminants in Ethiopia: Systematic review and Metaanalysis. Veterinary Parasitology, 218, 73-81.
• Asmare K., Sheferaw D., Aragaw K., Abera M., Sibhat B., Haile A., Kiara H., Szonyi B., Skjerve E., Wieland B., (2016). Gastrointestinal nematode infection in small ruminants in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Acta Tropica 160, 68–77.
• Abebe R., Hatiya H., Abera M., Megersa B. and Asmare K., (2016). Bovine mastitis: prevalence, risk factors and isolation of Staphylococcus aureus in dairy herds at Hawassa milk shed, South Ethiopia. BMC Veterinary Research, 12:270 DOI 10.1186/s12917-016-0905-3.
• Wabe O. and Asmare K.,(2015). Lactation yield: Interval level comparison of milk records for genetic improvement in Friesian VS Arsi crossbred cows in the highlands of south eastern Ethiopia. Ethiopian Veterinary Journal, 19 (2), 105116.
• Asmare K., Krontveit R. I., Ayelet G., Sibhat B., Godfroid J. and Skjerve E., (2014). Meta-analysis of Brucella seroprevalence in dairy cattle of Ethiopia. Tropical Animal Health and Production 46, 1341-1350.
• Asmare K., (2014). Neospora caninum versus Brucella spp. exposure among dairy cattle in Ethiopia: A case control study. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 46,961-966.
• Asmare K., Skjerve E., Bekele J., Sheferaw D., Stachurska-Hagen T., Robertson L. J., (2014). Molecular identification of Neospora caninum from calf/foetal brain tissue and among oocysts recovered from faeces of naturally infected dogs in southern Ethiopia. Acta Tropica, 130, 88-93.
• Ayelet G., Gelaye E., Jenberie S., Asmare K., (2014). Sequence variability in the structural protein-encoding region of foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype A and O of Ethiopian isolates. Research in Veterinary Science, 96, 558–566.
• Jenberie S., Lynch S.E., Kebede F., Christley R., Gelaye E., Negussie H., Asmare K., and Ayelet G., (2014). Genetic characterization of infectious bursal disease virus isolates in Ethiopia. Acta Tropica, 130, 39-43.
• Ayelet G., Haftu R., Jemberie S., Belay A., Gelaye E., Sibhat B., Skjerve E. and Asmare K., (2014). Lumpy skin disease in cattle in central Ethiopia: outbreak investigation and isolation and molecular detection of lumpy skin disease virus Revue Scientifique et Technique-office International Des Epizooties, 33(3), 877-887.
• Asmare K., Sibhat B., Molla W., Ayelet G., Shiferaw J., Martin A.D., Skjerve E., Godfroid J., (2013). The status of bovine brucellosis in Ethiopia with special
emphasis on exotic and crossbred cattle in dairy and breeding farms. Acta Tropica, 126,186-192.
• Asmare K., Regassa F., Robertson L.J., Skjerve E., (2013). Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum and associated risk factors in intensive or semi-intensively managed dairy and breeding cattle of Ethiopia. Veterinary Parasitology, 193, 85-
94.
• Asmare K., Megersa B., Dembarga Y., Abebe G., Taye A., Bekele J., Bekele T., Gelaye E., Zewdu E., Agonafir A., Ayelet G., and Skjerve E., (2013). A study on seroprevalence of caprine brucellosis under three livestock production systems in southern and central Ethiopia. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 45, 555560.
• Asmare K., Regassa F., Robertson L. J., Martin A. D., Skjerve E., (2013). Reproductive disorders in relation to Neospora caninum, Brucella spp. and bovine viral diarrhoea virus serostatus in breeding and dairy farms of central and southern Ethiopia. Epidemiology and Infection, 141, 1772-1780.
• Ayelet G., Jenberie S., Belay A., Mohammed A., Mola B., Gizaw Y., Muhie Y., Gelaye E., Asmare K. and Skjerve E., (2013). The first isolation and molecular characterization of camel pox virus in Ethiopia. Antiviral Research, 98, 417-422.
• Ayelet G., Derso S., Jemberie S., Tigre W., Aklilu N., Gelaye E. and Asmare K., (2013). Outbreak investigation and molecular characterization of African horse sickness virus circulating in selected areas of Ethiopia. Acta Tropica, 127, 91-96.
• Ayelet G., Soressa M., Sisay T., Belay A., Gelaye E., Jembere S.,Skjerve E., Asmare K.,(2013). FMD virus isolates: The candidate strains for polyvalent vaccine development in Ethiopia. Acta Tropica, 126, 244-248.
• Ayalet G., Abate Y., Sisay T., Nigussie H., Gelaye E., Jenberie S., Asmare K., (2013). Lumpy skin disease: Preliminary vaccine efficacy assessment and overview on outbreak impact in dairy cattle at Debrezeit, central Ethiopia. Antiviral Research, 98, 261-265.
• Gulelat Y., Yimer E., Asmare K., and Bekele J., (2013). Study on parasitic helminths infecting three fish species from koka reservoir, Ethiopia. SINET:
Ethiopian Journal of Science, 36(2), 73-80.
• Ayelet G., Gelaye E., Negussie H. and Asmare K., (2012). Study on epidemiology of foot and mouth disease in Ethiopia. Revue Scientifique et Technique-office International Des Epizooties, 31 (3), 789-798.
• Abera M., Habte T., Aragaw K., Asmare K., Sheferaw D.,(2012). Major causes of mastitis and associated risk factors in smallholder dairy farms in and around
Hawassa, Southern Ethiopia. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 44, 11751179.
• Megersa B., Biffa D., Niguse F., Rufael T., Asmare K. and Skjerve E., (2011). Cattle brucellosis in traditional livestock husbandry practice in Southern and
Eastern Ethiopia, and its zoonotic implication. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, 53:24 doi:10.1186/1751-0147.
• Mekuria S. and Asmare K., (2010). Cross-sectional study on contagious caprine pleuropneumonia in selected districts of sedentary and pastoral production systems in southern Ethiopia. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 42(1), 65-72.
• Bekele J., Asmare K., Abebe G., Ayelet G., Gelaye E., (2010). Evaluation of delthamethrin application in the control of Tsetse and Trypanosomosis in the Southern Rift Valley areas of Ethiopia. Veterinary Parasitology, 168,177-184.
Active Research Areas
• Dairy Cattle Reproductive Health and Management.
• Small Ruminant’s Health.
Place of Birth Wadera, Ethiopia
Date of Birth Dec. 20, 1968
Nationality Ethiopian
Address Hawassa University, School of Veterinary Medicine
P.O. Box -05, Hawassa, Ethiopia
Tel. + 251 911533724, E-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
