Background: After a report of the disturbing high prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in Addis Ababa and its environs, the capital of Ethiopia, there was a concern that the disease might have been distributed to other major towns via animal movements. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2014 to April 2015 in two selected major towns of Ethiopia namely Hawassa and Adama to assess the extent of distribution and association of risk factors. A total of 34 farms comprising 565 (270 - Hawassa and 295 - Adama) cattle were subjected to the comparative intra-dermal tuberculin test. Data on risk factors were collected in a pretested questionnaire. Results: Seven cows (2.6 %) of Hawassa and five (1.7%) from Adama were found to be reactors. The herd level (at least one reactor) prevalence was 22.5% and 6.7%, in that order. The prevalence of the disease with the origin of the cows was high for those from Shashamene (n=5, 27.7%), Addis Ababa (n=6, 25%), and unknown areas (n=15, 23%) compared to the study areas (2% to 5.6%) showing the introduction of the disease from prevalent areas. Among the risk factors age (? 7 years), herd size (>30), body condition score (thin), and origin (prevalent areas) of the cattle were found to be significant, associated with the disease positivity (p<0.05). Among 29 individuals interviewed about the habit of raw milk and meat consumption, 24.1 % (n=7) replied yes and only 27.5 % (n=8) of them know bovine tuberculosis signifying the public health importance of the disease in the study areas. Conclusion: the chance of the spread of bovine tuberculosis in Ethiopia from prevalent areas to low or free areas could be high and test service could be counterproductive as farmers are likely to sell their cows after knowledge of their status.

Keywords: Bovine tuberculosis, Prevalence, Comparative Intradermal Tuberculin Test, Ethiopia