Fascioliasis risk factors and space-time clusters in domestic ruminants in Bangladesh

Abstract

BackgroundA retrospective observational study was conducted to identify fascioliasis hotspots, clusters, potential risk factors and to map fascioliasis risk in domestic ruminants in Bangladesh. Cases of fascioliasis in cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats from all districts in Bangladesh between 2011 and 2013 were identified via secondary surveillance data from the Department of Livestock Services’ Epidemiology Unit. From each case report, date of report, species affected and district data were extracted. The total number of domestic ruminants in each district was used to calculate fascioliasis cases per ten thousand animals at risk per district, and this was used for cluster and hotspot analysis. Clustering was assessed with Moran’s spatial autocorrelation statistic, hotspots with the local indicator of spatial association (LISA) statistic and space-time clusters with the scan statistic (Poisson model). The association between district fascioliasis prevalence and climate (temperature, precipitation), elevation, land cover and water bodies was investigated using a spatial regression model.ResultsA total of 1,723,971 cases of fascioliasis were reported in the three-year study period in cattle (1,164,560), goats (424,314), buffalo (88,924) and sheep (46,173). A total of nine hotspots were identified; one of these persisted in each of the three years. Only two local clusters were found. Five space-time clusters located within 22 districts were also identified. Annual risk maps of fascioliasis cases correlated with the hotspots and clusters detected. Cultivated and managed (P < 0.001) and artificial surface (P = 0.04) land cover areas, and elevation (P = 0.003) were positively and negatively associated with fascioliasis in Bangladesh, respectively.ConclusionsResults indicate that due to land use characteristics some areas of Bangladesh are at greater risk of fascioliasis. The potential risk factors, hot spots and clusters identified in this study can be used to guide science-based treatment and control decisions for fascioliasis in Bangladesh and in other similar geo-climatic zones throughout the world.

Livestock associated epidemiological information profiling in New Sandwip Island (Jahajerchar) of the Meghna estuary, Noakhali using participatory disease searching tool

“…This result is supported by the findings of other researcher in Bangladesh (Mondal and Yamage, 2014). Bangladesh is considered to be endemic with LFI and the costal areas are viewed as hotpots of this disease since the buffaloes being raised in this areas (Sardar et al, 2006;Rahman et al, 2017).…”

“…The intermediate host of Fasciola gigantica (liver fluke) is much more aquatic than that of F. hepatica (Spithill et al, 1999) and only F. gigantica is prevalent in Bangladesh (Rahman et al, 2017). As buffaloes inhabit swampy areas the prevalence of fascioliasis is expected to be higher than other ruminant species (Khan et al, 2009(Khan et al, , 2011Yadav et al, 2015).…”

Bovine tuberculosis prevalence and risk factors in selected districts of Bangladesh

“…Collinearity among explanatory variables was assessed by Cramer's phi-prime statistic (R package "vcd," "assocstats" function [31]. A pair of variables was considered collinear if Cramer's phi-prime statistic was >0.70 [32].…”

A Scoping Review of the Prevalence of Fascioliasis in Malaysia and Risk Factors for Infection

“…Although there was a consensus among the included studies that age and sex were significant risk factors for fascioliasis in ruminants, researchers in Malaysia do not appear to have addressed the association of socio-demographic factors or causative factors with infection. However, socio-demographic factors were associated with the prevalence of infections in ruminant studies in other countries, such as Egypt and Bangladesh (7,32).…”