Epidemiological study on foot-and-mouth disease in small ruminants: sero-prevalence and risk factor assessment in Kenya

Abstract

20All authors: ECC, GCG, GMM, AKS, SWK developed the research plan and methodology and 21 all discussed the results. GCG guided the whole process and provided constructive and 22 supportive insights. AKS provided FMD expertise. SKW, GMM and ECC curated, visualized 23 and analyzed the data. ECC and SWK sourced for funding and other resources, carried out the 24 investigation and wrote the original draft. All authors edited and approved the final draft. 25 2 26 Abstract 27 28Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is endemic in Kenya affecting cloven-hoofed ruminants. 29The epidemiology of the disease in small ruminants (SR) is not documented. We carried out a 30 cross-sectional study, the first in Kenya, to estimate the sero-prevalence of FMD in SR and the 31 associated risk factors nationally. Selection of animals to be sampled used a multistage cluster 32 sampling approach. Serum samples totaling 7564 were screened for FMD antibodies of Non-33 Structural-Proteins using ID Screen ® NSP Competition ELISA kit. Data were analysed using 34 Statistical Package for Social Studies Version 20. To identify the risk factors, chi-square and 35logistic regression analyses were used. The country animal level sero-prevalence was 23.3% 36 (95% CI: 22.3-24.3%) while herd level sero-prevalence was 77.6% (95% CI: 73.9-80.9%). Sero-37 positivity was significantly higher in the pastoral zone (31.5%) than in the sedentary zone at 38 14.5% (χ2 =303.2, p<0.05). In the most parsimonious backward fitting logistic multivariable 39 regression, the only risk factors that were significantly positively associated with FMD sero-40 positivity in SR were multipurpose (OR=1.150; p=0.034) and dairy production types (OR=2.029; 41 p=0.003). Those that were significantly negatively associated with FMD sero-positivity were 42 male sex (OR=0.856; p=0.026), young age (OR=0.601; p=0.037), sedentary production zone 43 (OR=0.471; p<0.001), bringing in of SR (OR=0.838; p=0.004), purchase of SR from 44 market/middlemen (OR=0.877; p=0.049), no interaction with wildlife (OR=0.657; p<0.001), 45 mixed production type (OR=0.701; p=0.016), enclosure of SR day and night (OR=0.515; 46 p=0.001), migratory grazing system (OR=0.807; p=0.047), on-farm watering system (OR=0.724; 47 p=0.002), male-from-another-farm (OR=0.723; p=0.030) and artificial insemination (OR=0.357; 48 p=0.008) breeding methods. 49This study showed that there is widespread undetected virus circulation in SR indicated by 50 ubiquitous spatial distribution of significant FMD sero-positivity in the country. The risk factors 3 51 were mainly husbandry related. Strengthening of risk-based FMD surveillance in carrier SR 52 which pose potential risk of virus transmission to other susceptible species is recommended. 53Adjustment of husbandry practices to control FMD in SR and in-contact species is suggested. 54Cross-transmission and more risk factors need to be researched. 55 56

Seroprevalence and Molecular Detection of Foot and Mouth Disease Virus in Dairy Cattle Around Addis Ababa, Central Ethiopia

“… 8 , 9 , 36 , 54–56 Moreover, serotype O was the main serotype reported from FMD outbreaks in neighboring countries to Ethiopia, such as Sudan and Kenya. 57 , 58 …”

Foot-and-mouth disease in Cameroon: A systematic review to support its progressive control

“…In Cameroon, the mixed-species herd husbandry practice is very common with cattle kept alongside other ruminant species like goats, sheep and rarely pigs [14] . The possibility of cross-transmission of FMD between animal species through contact has already been reported in Kenya [25] . Although the control of FMD by only vaccinating large ruminants without including small ruminants worked in certain settings, this has led to the negligence of the role of small ruminants in FMD epidemiological studies.…”