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Worsley-Tonks KEL, Bender JB, Deem SL, Ferguson AW, Fèvre EM, Martins DJ, Muloi DM, Murray S, Mutinda M, Ogada D, Omondi GP, Prasad S, Wild H, Zimmerman DM, Hassell JM. Strengthening global health security by improving disease surveillance in remote rural areas of low-income and middle-income countries. Lancet Glob Health 2022; 10:e579-e584. [PMID: 35303467 PMCID: PMC8923676 DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(22)00031-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need to strengthen national surveillance systems to protect a globally connected world. In low-income and middle-income countries, zoonotic disease surveillance has advanced considerably in the past two decades. However, surveillance efforts often prioritise urban and adjacent rural communities. Communities in remote rural areas have had far less support despite having routine exposure to zoonotic diseases due to frequent contact with domestic and wild animals, and restricted access to health care. Limited disease surveillance in remote rural areas is a crucial gap in global health security. Although this point has been made in the past, practical solutions on how to implement surveillance efficiently in these resource-limited and logistically challenging settings have yet to be discussed. We highlight why investing in disease surveillance in remote rural areas of low-income and middle-income countries will benefit the global community and review current approaches. Using semi-arid regions in Kenya as a case study, we provide a practical approach by which surveillance in remote rural areas can be strengthened and integrated into existing systems. This Viewpoint represents a transition from simply highlighting the need for a more holistic approach to disease surveillance to a solid plan for how this outcome might be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeff B Bender
- School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Sharon L Deem
- Institute for Conservation Medicine, Saint Louis Zoo, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Adam W Ferguson
- Gantz Family Collection Center, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Eric M Fèvre
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya; Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Dino J Martins
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya; Department of Ecology and Evolution, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Dishon M Muloi
- International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya; Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Suzan Murray
- Global Health Program, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Mathew Mutinda
- Veterinary Services Department, Kenya Wildlife Service, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Darcy Ogada
- The Peregrine Fund, Boise, ID, USA; National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - George P Omondi
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA; Ahadi Veterinary Resource Center, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Shailendra Prasad
- Center for Global Health and Social Responsibility, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Hannah Wild
- Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Dawn M Zimmerman
- Department of Clinical Studies, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya; Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Disease, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - James M Hassell
- Global Health Program, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA; Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Disease, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
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Perceptions of pastoralist problems: A participatory study on animal management, disease spectrum and animal health priorities of small ruminant pastoralists in Georgia. Prev Vet Med 2021; 193:105412. [PMID: 34144495 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2021.105412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Small ruminants support the livelihoods of millions of poor pastoralist and sedentary households around the world. While pastoralists are generally not amongst the poorest in terms of assets, they are frequently marginalised in terms of their access to political power, health and education. This study was undertaken among pastoralist households keeping small ruminants in four regions of the country of Georgia. Small ruminants are an important cultural, social and economic asset in Georgia and are mainly managed in a transhumant pastoralist system. Georgia suffered its first, and so far only outbreak of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in 2016. This qualitative interview study was designed to acquire contextual understanding of local small ruminant husbandry and the livelihood situations of the participating pastoralists, and to detect historical, unreported PPR outbreaks. Focus group discussions comprising participatory epidemiology tools and other forms of interviews were used to explore small ruminant management, disease spectrum and management, and animal health priorities. The participants had experienced a wide variety of animal health constraints, with intestinal worms, braxy, piroplasmosis, pasture-related problems, predators and lameness emerging as priorities. No historic, unreported PPR outbreak was detected in this study, and PPR was not a priority for participants. Instead, the day-to-day reality of animal health for the pastoralists was characterised by co-infections of mainly endemic pathogens, and problems related to other challenges such as access to land, feed and genetic resources. The rationale behind the participants' prioritisation of animal health problems was supported by the need to pay extra attention to animals in order to avoid risk factors, keep animals healthy and minimise the negative impact of diseases or management problems; the various epidemiological and clinical parameters of the prioritised diseases; the economic impact of the specific problems and the zoonotic potential of diseases and predation. Even within regions, and within seemingly socially and culturally homogenous groups, there were important local differences in the problems faced by pastoralists that affect their livestock management. This study underlines the importance of a contextualised understanding of the local disease panorama and complexities in the livelihood situations of rural people when designing actions to improve animal health in general or, more specifically, passive surveillance as well as prevention or control measures. Finally, it is concluded that to achieve such an understanding, there is a need for participatory, scoping-style studies that specifically acknowledge diversity and power relations.
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Small Ruminant Production in Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia: A Systematic Review of Constraints and Potential Solutions. Vet Sci 2020; 8:vetsci8010005. [PMID: 33561077 PMCID: PMC7824089 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci8010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sheep and goats are an important commodity for smallholder farmers across East Africa, but severe limitations remain in small ruminant production. This review aimed to identify specific constraints to small ruminant production and identify practical and sustainable solutions. From 54 eligible articles, most were focused in Ethiopia (n = 44) with only 6 studies performed in Tanzania and 4 in Uganda. The most frequently identified constraint in Ethiopia and Tanzania was disease (n = 28 and n = 3, respectively), and in Uganda, it was the lack of access to veterinary services (n = 4). Additionally, access to good breeding stock, lack of animal records, and an established marketing chain were also mentioned in all the three countries. Ectoparasites, gastrointestinal parasites, orf, and sheep/goat pox were the most frequently mentioned disease challenges causing productivity losses. Many articles provided potential solutions as suggested by farmers, including improved access to veterinary services and medicines, improved record keeping, and access to good breeding stock. Farmers highlighted the value of community-based participatory development plans to increase education on disease control, land management, and husbandry. This review also highlighted knowledge gaps, the need for further research, particularly in Tanzania and Uganda, and the importance of addressing multiple challenges holistically due to the links between constraints.
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Wild H, Mohammed Ali S, Bassirou B, Tschopp R, Barry M, Zinsstag J. Mobile pastoralists in Africa: a blind spot in global health surveillance. Trop Med Int Health 2020; 25:1328-1331. [PMID: 32865274 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Wild
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, CA, USA
| | | | - Bonfoh Bassirou
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Rea Tschopp
- Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.,Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michele Barry
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.,The Center for Innovation in Global Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jakob Zinsstag
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Bagheri Nejad R, Krecek RC, Khalaf OH, Hailat N, Arenas-Gamboa AM. Brucellosis in the Middle East: Current situation and a pathway forward. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008071. [PMID: 32437346 PMCID: PMC7241688 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis is a bacterial endemic zoonotic disease of global significance with detrimental impacts on public health and food animal production. It is caused by Brucella spp., an expanding group of pathogens able to infect various host species. Bovines and small ruminants, which excrete the bacteria in milk and in reproductive discharges, are major sources of infection for humans and other animals. Contact with contaminated animals and consumption of unpasteurized dairy products are the main routes for human infection. In spite of the considerable progress of knowledge gained and success achieved in brucellosis control in the developed world, this disease continues to be an important burden in the Middle East (ME). Common risk factors implicated in the difficulty and complexity of brucellosis control within the region include (1) social and political instabilities; (2) insufficient resources and infrastructure for appropriate diagnosis, reporting, and implementation of control measures; (3) variation of livestock husbandry systems and their commingling with other livestock and wildlife; and (4) traditional cultural practices, including consumption of unpasteurized dairy products. Development of core interdisciplinary competencies is required for a true One Health–based endeavor against the disease. National awareness and educational programs addressing all population sectors from consumers to decision-makers seem to be the next logical, sustainable, and economically viable approach toward improving disease status in this region. In the present review, we describe the current situation of brucellosis in the ME, focusing on the major limitations and shortcomings regarding disease control. We propose a regional approach toward public awareness of brucellosis as the first step in mitigating the disease and discuss the potential benefits, and components of such a strategy, which can further be used as a model for other endemic zoonotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramin Bagheri Nejad
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Bacterial Vaccines, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Karaj, Iran
| | - Rosina C. Krecek
- Independent Scholar, Texas, United States of America
- University of Johannesburg, Department of Zoology, Auckland Park, South Africa
| | - Omar H. Khalaf
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Veterinary Pathology & Poultry Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Nabil Hailat
- Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Angela M. Arenas-Gamboa
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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