Temporal Analysis and Costs of Ruminant Brucellosis Control Programme in Egypt Between 1999 and 2011

Data for the prevalence of brucellosis in ruminants in Egypt are scarce; recent studies suggest the disease is endemic, with a high prevalence. The aim of this study was to assess the financial costs and the impact of the current control programme on the pattern of brucellosis among ruminants between 1999 and 2011. A univariate binary logistic regression model was used to compare between seropositive proportions for different years for each species. The proportion of seropositive cattle was significantly increased from 2000 to 2004 then significantly decreased from 2005 to 2011. The proportion of seropositive buffalo fluctuated year to year; however, there was a significant increase in 2008 (OR 3.13, 95% CI 2.69–3.66, P < 0.001). There was a decrease in the proportion of seropositive sheep during the study period except in 2001 and 2009 in which there was a significant increase. The proportion of seropositive goats increased in 2000 and 2001, and then decreased from 2002 to 2007. In 2008, there was a significant increase in the seropositive proportion of goats (OR 2.53, 95% CI 2.21–2.90, P < 0.001). The average annual cost for the control programme including testing and compensation was more than US$3 million. The total cost for the control programme including testing and compensation for the period (13 years) between 1999 and 2011 was more than US$40 million, from which more than 56% for cattle. Further studies are required for the effectiveness of the current control strategies and alternative strategies should be considered. The socio-economic impact of brucellosis and its control measures should be investigated

Integrated food safety and nutrition assessments in the dairy cattle value chain in Tanzania

The consumption of even small amounts of animal-source foods has the potential to improve nutrition, especially in vulnerable households. However, scaling up their production bears food safety risks that are often overlooked due to a disconnect between human nutrition and animal sciences. The aim of this scoping study in Tanzania was to identify opportunities for nutritional and food safety benefits from cow milk

Brucella spp. infection in large ruminants in an endemic area of Egypt: cross-sectional study investigating seroprevalence, risk factors and livestock owner's knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Brucellosis is regarded as one of the major zoonotic infections worldwide. It was first reported in Egypt in 1939 and is now endemic, the predominate species of <it>Brucella </it>in cattle and buffalo in Egypt is <it>B. melitensis</it>. The aim of the study was to estimate seroprevalence of <it>Brucella </it>spp. in cattle and buffalo reared in households in an Egyptian village, identify risk factors for animals testing seropositive and to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) of livestock owners with regards to brucellosis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional study was carried out in a village in Menufiya Governorate of Egypt. In June and July 2009, 107 households were selected using systematic sample and all lactating cattle and buffalo present in the household were sampled and tested for antibodies against <it>Brucella </it>spp. In addition, a questionnaire collecting information on potential risk factors for <it>Brucella </it>spp. infection in cattle and buffalo was administered to the household member responsible for rearing the livestock. Between December 2009 and February 2010 households were revisited and a second questionnaire regarding KAPs associated with brucellosis was administered.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>True individual and household seroprevalence were estimated to be 11.0% (95% CI: 3.06% to 18.4%) and 15.5% (95% CI: 6.61% to 24.7%), respectively. Cattle and buffalo kept in a household with sheep and goats had 6.32 (95% CI: 1.44 to 27.9) times the odds of testing seropositive for <it>Brucella </it>spp., compared to cattle and buffalo that were not. Most participants in the study stated that livestock owners assist in the parturition of ruminants without wearing gloves and that some farmers sell animals which they suspect are <it>Brucella </it>infected to butchers or at market. Many participants made their livestock's milk into cheese and other dairy products without pasteurising it.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Brucellosis was endemic at high levels, in the current study. Although livestock owners had good general knowledge of brucellosis, they still appeared to participate in high-risk behaviours, which may contribute to the high seroprevalence in the area. Veterinarians, public health authorities and other community leaders need to collaborate to control the disease in animals and to manage the risk of human exposure.</p

Identifying hotspots for antibiotic resistance emergence and selection, and elucidating pathways to human exposure: Application of a systems-thinking approach to aquaculture systems

Aquaculture systems are highly complex, dynamic and interconnected systems influenced by environmental, biological, cultural, socio-economic and human behavioural factors. Intensification of aquaculture production is likely to drive indiscriminate use of antibiotics to treat or prevent disease and increase productivity, often to compensate for management and husbandry deficiencies. Surveillance or monitoring of antibiotic usage (ABU) and antibiotic resistance (ABR) is often lacking or absent. Consequently, there are knowledge gaps for the risk of ABR emergence and human exposure to ABR in these systems and the wider environment. The aim of this study was to use a systems-thinking approach to map two aquaculture systems in Vietnam – striped catfish and white-leg shrimp – to identify hotspots for emergence and selection of resistance, and human exposure to antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. System mapping was conducted by stakeholders at an interdisciplinary workshop in Hanoi, Vietnam during January 2018, and the maps generated were refined until consensus. Thereafter, literature was reviewed to complement and cross-reference information and to validate the final maps. The maps and component interactions with the environment revealed the grow-out phase, where juveniles are cultured to harvest size, to be a key hotspot for emergence of ABR in both systems due to direct and indirect ABU, exposure to water contaminated with antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and duration of this stage. The pathways for human exposure to antibiotics and ABR were characterised as: occupational (on-farm and at different handling points along the value chain), through consumption (bacterial contamination and residues) and by environmental routes. By using systems thinking and mapping by stakeholders to identify hotspots we demonstrate the applicability of an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to characterising ABU in aquaculture. This work provides a foundation to quantify risks at different points, understand interactions between components, and identify stakeholders who can lead and implement change

Update on the status of leptospirosis in New Zealand

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that poses public health and ecological threats worldwide. In New Zealand (NZ), incidence of the disease is relatively high compared to other developed countries. The aim of this review was to describe the epidemiological status, ecological risk of leptospirosis and prevention in NZ. Disease notification data for leptospirosis in humans in NZ from 2010 to 2015 were collected from the Institute of Environmental Science and Research database. These data were supported by a literature review of epidemiological studies in human and animal populations. During this six-year period, exotic serovars of Leptospira interrogans sv Australis and Leptospira kirschneri sv Grippotyphosa were identified in patients who had travelled abroad to Samoa (Pacific Ocean) and Thailand, respectively. Most cases of leptospirosis were recorded in New Zealanders of European ethnicity, followed by Māori people. Males had a nine-fold increased risk compared to females mostly due to occupation. The risk of leptospirosis increased gradually with the age, with a peak in the 40 to 49-year-old age group, after which it decreased. Workers in meat-processing and farming industries appeared at highest-risk of occupational exposure compared with other risky occupations such as hunters, veterinarians, technicians, stock truck drivers and lake workers. Other cases were also attributed to outdoor exposures or travelling overseas. Highest disease notification rates occurred in the West Coast region of the South Island (average annual incidence 9.7 per 100,000 people), followed by Whanganui region (8.2 per 100,000) and Hawke's Bay region (8 per 100,000) in the North Island. Vaccines currently available for animals are specific for cattle, sheep, deer and dogs and do protect against all serovars present in NZ. The development and use of molecular diagnostics is crucial for specific identification of Leptospira isolates and informing deployment of efficient vaccines

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice Survey on Antimicrobials and Antimicrobial Resistance Amongst Indian Veterinary Students and Graduates, 2021-2022

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an urgent global one health challenge and irrational and over use of antimicrobials in livestock production and human medicine is contributing to this problem. This online questionnaire was part of a large interdisciplinary research project on the drivers for AMR and the role of livestock and poultry production in India (see www.liverpool.ac.uk/infection-and-global-health/research/darpi/) involving multiple UK and Indian partners, with this specific survey led by the University of Liverpool, University of Edinburgh and the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University. This study was designed to help us understand how and what veterinary students are taught, their knowledge and attitudes around AMR and antimicrobial use. Participates were invited to take part in this study if they had recently graduated or were near to the completion of their veterinary course and will be a future prescriber and therefore represent a important stakeholder.The aim of this study is to first to map antimicrobial use (AMU) and the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) that is driven by inappropriate use, across the entire poultry meat supply chain from farm to table in India. The study provides [1] a unique opportunity to map AMU, [2] to understand entry points for development of AMR and [3] the contribution by inappropriate AMU in poultry, and [4] suggests potential solutions to address the huge AMR burden in India. AMR is a major global health risk, particularly in developing countries, threatening human and animal health. Contributing to this problem is the inappropriate use of antimicrobials in people and livestock production. India has a high burden of infectious disease, and bacteria from human clinical infections are becoming increasingly difficult to treat, with fewer treatment options available. Studies suggest that livestock may commonly carry resistant bacteria in their gut, with poultry and poultry meat also identified as a source of such bacteria. However, there is a complete lack of data on the scale of the problem, or on what antimicrobials are being used in poultry meat production, how they are used, and how this contributes to the carriage of AMR bacteria that may be a threat to human and animal health. Poultry meat is one of the main protein sources in Indian and is the fastest growing livestock sector. Increasingly, poultry meat in India is produced through more intensive integrated or semi-integrated farming systems where antimicrobials are used for various purposes, including for growth promotion, to prevent and treat disease. To date there have been no comprehensive studies on AMU or AMR through the poultry meat supply chain. Our interdisciplinary project aims to address these data gaps by studying the poultry meat food supply in its entirety to determine: behaviours that drive AMU and how these contribute to the selection and transmission of AMR, to inform better use; to design with farmers and other stakeholders interventions to reduce AMU/AMR, which are cost-effective and easy to implement; determine the economic impact from changing AMU practices, or using alternatives. The project will involve working closely with the poultry industry, policy makers and other stakeholders throughout to ensure the findings have impact. This project is timely in providing crucial data to inform antimicrobial stewardship: the trajectory of the Indian poultry industry is shifting towards intensive farming and AMU is predicted to rise substantially. Therefore, this is an opportunity to intervene through working closely with stakeholders to provide alternative strategies for sustainable AMU. The project also offers other benefits, with a strong social science component providing unique insights into behaviours driving AMU, as well as service design enabling visualization of AMU and AMR, and co-design strategies. Indian researchers will be trained in these methods, building capacity for social science in Indian agricultural and veterinary research that will have value long after the conclusion of this project. The study will be the first to map AMU and AMR in the entire poultry meat supply chain from farm to table in India. The study provides a unique opportunity to map AMU, understand entry points for development of AMR and the contribution by inappropriate AMU in poultry, and suggest potential solutions to address the huge AMR burden in India.</p