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

Adoption of the One Health approach to improve zoonosis control in low-income countries: Insights from the case of rabies management in Burkina Faso

Background and Aim: Rabies is a neglected zoonotic disease transmissible to humans and domestic and wild animals through biting, scratching, or licking. This study aimed to analyze the adoption of the One Health approach by the stakeholders involved in rabies control in Burkina Faso. Materials and Methods: The stakeholders involved in rabies control were from the Ministry of ivestock, Ministry of Health, Ministry of the Territory Administration, Ministry of Environment and Wildlife, and Ministry of Higher Education and Research. A structured questionnaire was used in face-to-face interviews to collect data from the stakeholders. The collected data included stakeholders’ knowledge of rabies and the One Health approach and their levels of involvement in the multisectoral collaboration. Results: Most participants could not describe rabies correctly (80%), and only 52.9% had heard of the One Health approach. In addition, there was no significant association between knowledge of rabies and participants’ characteristics, and the knowledge of the One Health approach was significantly influenced by a participant’s affiliation (place of work). Conclusion: The results call for an increase in One Health education for its effective adoption by all the rabies control stakeholders. Additional efforts should focus on continual training of the One Health workforce, from policy-makers to frontline personnel

The Rabies Free Burkina Faso initiative: an example of how one health-oriented civil society organizations can contribute towards the achievement of the rabies zero by 30 goal

Abstract While technologies, tools and expertise have proven that countries can be made safe from dog-mediated human rabies, the disease remains a major public health threat in Burkina Faso. The paper reports the experience and success stories of Rabies Free Burkina Faso, an initiative established in 2020 as an example of civil society organization that promotes One Health for integrated rabies control in Africa. As recommended in the Global strategic plan, rabies elimination requires a systematic One Health approach, enhancing pre-exposure and postexposure prophylaxis, dog population management, dog vaccination, awareness raising, diagnosis, surveillance, funding as well as policies and regulations. Rabies Free Burkina Faso was established on 28 September 2020 as not-for-profit organization and aims to strengthen the use of a One Health approach as a non-governmental, multidisciplinary initiative dedicated to promoting rabies elimination. Categories of interventions developed by Rabies Free Burkina Faso cover awareness raising, training and One Health capacity building, dog rabies vaccination, seeking vaccines and providing support, including financial resource to communities to ensure that bite victims are appropriately provided with post-exposure prophylaxis, research, community engagement and joint outbreak investigation in collaboration with competent authorities. Reported success stories confirm the relevance of roles that can be played by Rabies Free Burkina Faso supporting animal health and human health authorities in the fields of rabies control and One Health development in the country

Ressources génétiques des mils en Afrique de l’Ouest

Le mil constitue, avec le sorgho, la base de l’alimentation d’une part importante des populations indiennes et africaines. Au Niger, deuxième pays producteur en Afrique, cette culture représente les trois quarts de la production céréalière et occupe plus de la moitié des terres cultivées. C’est en Afrique de l’Ouest que se situent les zones d’origine et de diversification des mils cultivés (Penniselum glaucum subsp. glaucum) et l’on peut encore y trouver des populations de la forme sauvage (P. glaucum subsp. monodii). Mieux conserver, évaluer et valoriser ces ressources génétiques, tels sont les enjeux exposés lors de l’atelier « Ressources génétiques des mils et plantes associées en Afrique de l’Ouest » organisé à Niamey en 2002. L’IRD et ses partenaires y ont présenté une synthèse des résultats de recherches pluridisciplinaires (génétique, agronomie, anthropologie) sur le rôle des pratiques paysannes dans la dynamique de la diversité génétique des mils sauvages et cultivés au Niger. Cet atelier a également permis de confronter les expériences et conclusions d’autres équipes et a contribué à la réflexion sur les stratégies de conservation (in et ex situ) et de valorisation des ressources génétiques des mils et de quelques autres plantes cultivées dans les agrosystèmes sahéliens.Pearl millet is, along with sorghum, the staple food for a large part of Indian and African populations. In Niger, the second producing country in Africa, this crop accounts for three quarters of the cereals production and more than half of cultivated land. Regions of origin and diversification of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum subsp. glaucum) are located in West Africa, where wild millet populations (P. glaucum subsp. monodii) can still be found. A better conservation, evaluation and valorisation of this diversity is therefore an important challenge, that was adressed during a workshop on genetic resources of pearl millet and associated crops in West Africa, held in Niamey in 2002. IRD and its partners presented there a synthesis of their multidisciplinary research (genetics, agronomy, anthropology) on the role of farmers' practices in the dynamics of genetic diversity of wild and cultivated millets in Niger. The workshop allowed exchanges and comparisons of experience and conclusions of other teams and contributed to the debate on strategies of conservation (in and ex situ) and utilisation of genetic resources of pearl millet and other crops in Sahelian agrosystems.© IRD Éditions, 200