Assessment of abattoir workers and livestock keepers’ knowledge and practices regarding bovine tuberculosis in Senegal

Background and Aim: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major zoonosis in Senegal, accounting for 33% of all zoonotic disease reports in 2019. The aim of this study was to assess bovine TB knowledge and practices of abattoir workers in Dakar and livestock farmers in Pout. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on knowledge and practices of Dakar abattoir workers (butchers, transporters, sellers, and animal health workers) and Pout livestock farmers regarding bovine tuberculosis. R 3.2.6 was used for descriptive statistics, Chi-square, and Fischer’s exact tests, and STATA 13 was used for univariate and multivariate logistic regressions. Results: A total of 274 abattoir workers and livestock farmers were interviewed: 103 (37.6%) from Dakar abattoir and 171 (62.4%) from Pout farms. Respondents were predominantly male (75.2%), aged 30–59 years (67.5%), and had at least 10 years of experience (51.8%). The majority (98.2%) were aware of TB, but only 31.4% knew that it was zoonotic. Only 2.5% (7/274) of participants had satisfactory TB knowledge, which differed according to study area, experience, profession, and good practice (p = 0.05). Abattoir workers were 11 times more likely than farmers to have good TB knowledge (odds ratio [OR] = 11.2; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1–114.3). Respondents with 5–10 years of experience were 16.9 times more likely to have good knowledge of TB (OR = 16.9; 95% CI = 1.7–163.4). The majority of participants preferred raw milk (83.6%) and undercooked meat (83.6%). Only 29.6% of participants had good practices, which differed with respect to study area, gender, marital status, age, occupation, and knowledge of TB (p = 0.05). Age (OR = 3.3; 95% CI, 1.3–8.3) was identified as a good practice adoption predictor. Conclusion: Globally, there was a low level of good knowledge and practices regarding TB among respondents. There is a need for mass education through multi-sectoral collaboration between health professionals (humans and animals) using a One Health approach

Epidemiological Investigation of A Goat Rabies Outbreak and Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Communities Regarding Rabies in the Rural Commune of Sabou, Burkina Faso

Background: Dog-mediated human rabies is one of the top five priority zoonotic diseases identified for the One Health multisectoral engagement in Burkina Faso. Integrated approaches are required in endemic areas for reliable data collection and improved management of bite victims. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of communities regarding rabies and preventive methods.Subjects and Method: A cross-sectional household survey was conducted in the Commune of Sabou after a goat rabies confirmation. A structured questionnaire was administered to 305 house-hold members to capture data. The dependent variables in this study were the knowledge of rabies and animal vectors, the action to be taken regarding the biting animal, the main challenges to PEP coverage, the knowledge of preventive measures, and the minimum age recommended for primo-vaccination. The independent variables in this study were gender, level of education, professional status, and dog-owning status. The study was analyzed using the Chi-Square test.Results: The results provided that the suspected goat was infected by the rabies virus. Subsequently, the outbreak joint investigation initiated involved key local stakeholders. Data collected during the investigation raised the need for counter-measures such as identification of awareness gaps, organization of a dog rabies vaccination, and awareness-raising campaigns in the local communities. The household survey revealed low awareness about animals involved in human rabies transmission, the common routes of transmission, and the postexposure prophylaxis. Moreover, hindrances to postexposure prophylaxis access cited by the participants were related to frequent vaccine shortage (39.7%) as well as financial inaccessibility (60.3%). In addition, 40% of participants were not well aware of pet rabies prevention and reported only 67.6% of owned dogs were vaccinated.Conclusion: According to the study results, there is a need to strengthen rabies surveillance, promoting outbreak joint investigation, and integrated bite case management. Moreover, key messages on animal and human rabies prevention should be developed and shared with the communities. Keywords: Canine rabies, zoonoses, joint investigation, community awareness, public health, household surve

Gastrointestinal parasites of baboons (Papio papio) in Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal

Background: Primates can harbor parasites that could be pathogenic or not for humans and primates themselves. It is necessary to know the parasitological situation of the primates that are under surveillance in the park.Aim: To estimate the prevalence and diversity of gastrointestinal parasites, including zoonotic potential parasites, in baboons in the Niokolo-Koba National Park located in Senegal.Method: Fecal samples (n = 50) from two groups of baboons (A and B) were collected in October 2019. The samples were processed using the flotation technique and the modified Ritchie method. Slides were examined microscopically and the parasite identification was based on morphology, color, and parasite content.Results: A total of seven nematodes (Strongyloides sp., Trichirus sp., Ancylostoma sp., Mammo monogamus, Enterobius sp., Strongyloides stercoralis, Strongyle digestif), one cestode (Bertiella sp.), and one trematode (Fasciolopsis sp.) were identified. The overall prevalence was 78%, while the prevalence of poly-infected samples was 49%. The parasite with zoonotic potential, S. stercoralis, was identified in group B samples. Trichuris sp., which is common and pathogenic to humans and primates, was present with prevalence of 52% and of 32% in groups A and B, respectively.Conclusion: These results suggest that baboons are infested with zoonotic parasites and this situation could expose people working in this park to infection. Contact between humans and these baboons or their feces could expose them to infection with zoonotic parasites

Gastrointestinal parasites of baboons (Papio papio) in Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal

Background: Primates can harbour parasites that could be pathogenic or not for humans and primates themselves. It is necessary to know the parasitological situation of the primates that are under surveillance in the park. Aim: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence and diversity of gastrointestinal parasites, including zoonotic potential parasites, in baboons in the Niokolo-Koba National Park located in Senegal. Method: Faecal samples (n=50) from two groups of Baboons (A and B) were collected in October 2019. Faecal samples were processed using the flotation technique and the modified Ritchie method. Slides were examined microscopically, and the parasite identification was based on morphology, colour, and parasite content. Results: A total of seven nematodes (Strongyloides sp., Trichirus sp., Ancylostoma sp., Mammo monogamus, Enterobius sp., Strongyloides stercoralis, Strongle digestif), one cestode (Bertiella sp.) and one trematode (Fasciolopsis sp.) were identified. The overall prevalence was 78% while prevalence of poly-infected samples was 49%. The parasite with zoonotic potential, Strongyloides stercoralis, was identified in group B samples. Trichuris sp. which is common and pathogenic to humans and primates was present with a prevalence of 52% and of 32% in groups A and B, respectively. Conclusion: These results suggest that baboons are infested with zoonotic parasites and this situation could expose people working in this park to infection. Contact between humans and these baboons or their faeces could expose to infection with zoonotic parasites

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infections in households sheep "Elevage en case" in Dakar, Senegal

Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii and anti-Neospora caninum antibodies in sheep breeding in a particular husbandry system called "Elevage en case" in Dakar, Senegal. Materials and Methods: Blood samples were collected from 278 sheep. Serum was harvested and used for analysis. For the detection of T. gondii antibodies, 278 sera were analyzed using the modified agglutination test, while the enzyme linked-immunosorbent assay was used on 174 sheep sera to look for N. caninum antibodies. Results: This study showed that 29.4±6.8% of sheep carried both T. gondii and N. caninum antibodies. The overall prevalence was 60.1±5.7% and 41.9±7.3% for toxoplasmosis and neosporosis, respectively. For toxoplasmosis, the prevalence was higher in Gueule Tapée (63.3%) than in Medina (58.9%), but the variation was not significant (p=0.45). Regarding the age of animals, the prevalence was significantly higher in animals over 2 years old compared to those under 2 years old (p=0.002). For neosporosis, the prevalence was significantly higher in Medina (48.67%) than Gueule Tapée (16.7%) (p=0.001), but non-significant variation was noted according to animal age. Conclusion: The study showed that sheep reared in households have carried antibodies of T. gondii and N. caninum. The prevalence was high and it means that consumption of meat from these animals is risky if the meat is eaten undercooked

Assessing factors associated with owner's individual decision to vaccinate their dogs against rabies: A house-to-house survey in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Background and Aim: In rabies endemic area, dog vaccination is an effective way of controlling the disease in animals and humans if a minimum of 70% vaccination coverage is reached. This study aimed to identify dog demographics and household characteristics associated with dogs' vaccination against rabies in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents with regard to their dogs' demographics and their household characteristics. Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were performed to assess the association between explicative variables and the dogs' vaccination status. Results: Overall, as per the findings of this study, it was determined that out of 424 dogs, 57.8% were reportedly vaccinated. The vaccination status was significantly associated with most of the household variables (e.g., gender of the respondent, age, level of education, main means of transportation, participation in a vaccination campaign, knowledge on rabies, and knowledge on dog vaccination) and the dogs' variables (breed of dog, dog origin, purpose for keeping, confinement status, and perceived behavior) (p0.05). Conclusion: Our study generated informative data showing that animal health workers could develop effective rabies vaccination strategy planning by examining owned dog demographics and their husbandry practices in households

Rabies epidemiology and community knowledge, attitudes and practices in Burkina Faso

Rabies is an endemic zoonosis in developing countries and is one of the most virulent and deadly viral diseases. It is a threat to public and animal health in Burkina Faso. This cross-sectional study describes the epidemiology of rabies and the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of the populations in Ouagadougou. Data were collected from households and technical services involved in the prevention, control and surveillance of human and animal rabies. The KAP survey was conducted among 616 households. It showed that the majority of participants had heard of human (80.7%) and animal (94.6%) rabies, were aware that the disease is mainly transmitted by infected dog bites (94.2%), and were able to quote at least two routes of rabies transmission (65.7%). In contrast, only 9.7% of dog owners claimed to be able to afford annual canine rabies vaccination. The main channels of information and communication about rabies used by the participants were friends and family (41.8%), school (33.4%), and media 24.8%). As for the retrospective epidemiological study, which was based on the documents vailable within national services, it showed that an average of 4172 cases of bites were recorded each year, that only 31.7% of those bitten had received complete post-exposure prophylaxis, and that 68% of the animal tested were positive for rabies virus. These studies confirm the presence of a rabies risk in the country, and show the need for increased education and community involvement, and close collaboration between the animal and human health sectors for integrated bite-case management

Prevalence and risk factors of wax moth in bee colonies in the Central and Central-West regions of Burkina Faso: pilot study

Beekeeping is a very old practice in Burkina Faso and has many advantages, including the availability of honey resources, of endogenous knowledge and support from public policies. However, it faces challenges, including health problems, which are poorly documented. This cross-sectional study was conducted between March and May 2019 in the Central and Central-west regions of Burkina Faso to determine the prevalence and risk factors of wax moth in bee colonies. A total of 200 modern hives were visited of which 106 were colonized or previously colonized. Methods of observation and inspection of the hives were used to search for witnesses of the wax moth infestation: eggs, larvae, pupae cocoons, woven silk cloth, gallery in wax or adult butterflies. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect information on beekeepers and apiaries characteristics. An inspection sheet was used to record observations made during the inspection of the hives. The results revealed that the average size was 18 hives by apiary. Hives used were Kenyan, Dadant, and rectangular frame hives with a colonization rate of 53%. The overall prevalence of wax moth was 23.6% [15.5-31.7%]. Other predators/pests were observed in 43.4% of the hives, the main ones being beetles (25.5%) and ants (17%). The analysis of the radio adjusted odds ratio showed the absence of risk factors among the modalities of the studied variables. In view of the results of this pilot study, more extensive studies could be carried out to have a better understanding of the epidemiology of the infestation and its possible impact that it can have on honey production