Implications of the cattle trade network in Cameroon for regional disease prevention and control

Abstract

Movement of live animals is a major risk factor for the spread of livestock diseases and zoonotic infections. Understanding contact patterns is key to informing cost-effective surveillance and control strategies. In West and Central Africa some of the most rapid urbanization globally is expected to increase the demand for animal-source foods and the need for safer and more efficient animal production. Livestock trading points represent a strategic contact node in the dissemination of multiple pathogens. From October 2014 to May 2015 official transaction records were collected and a questionnaire-based survey was carried out in cattle markets throughout Western and Central-Northern Cameroon. The data were used to analyse the cattle trade network including a total of 127 livestock markets within Cameroon and five neighboring countries. This study explores for the first time the influence of animal trade on infectious disease spread in the region. The investigations showed that national borders do not present a barrier against pathogen dissemination and that non-neighbouring countries are epidemiologically connected, highlighting the importance of a regional approach to disease surveillance, prevention and control. Furthermore, these findings provide evidence for the benefit of strategic risk-based approaches for disease monitoring, surveillance and control, as well as for communication and training purposes through targeting key regions, highly connected livestock markets and central trading links.

Burkholderia mallei : The dynamics of networks and disease transmission

“…The GSCC represents all the possible direct paths of which a disease could spread upon the assumption of a 100% contagion rate. Therefore, improvement for glanders control would include new strategies based on the fragmentation of the GSCC, and farms could be selected based on a higher in and out degree or betweenness, as previously demonstrated (Motta et al., ).…”

“…The establishment of network communities is an emerging approach that has been used to describe species movement patterns (Gorsich et al., ), disease spread and prevention (Aragão et al., ; Kao, Green, Johnson, & Kiss, ; Motta et al., ), and implementation of target vaccination or as part of surveillance for Foot‐and‐Mouth Disease at the national level (MAPA, ). The identified communities may have a direct impact in the decision taken by the local stakeholders, such as the OVS.…”

“…Therefore, improvement for glanders control would include new strategies based on the fragmentation of the GSCC, and farms could be selected based on a higher in and out degree or betweenness, as previously demonstrated (Motta et al, 2017).…”

“…The establishment of network communities is an emerging approach that has been used to describe species movement patterns (Gorsich et al, 2016), disease spread and prevention (Aragão et al, 2017;Kao, Green, Johnson, & Kiss, 2007;Motta et al, 2017) Sul, it is recommended to restrict movements within each community ( Figure 6). The maps of the communities found in our study were used to show the greatest equine trade areas and offer a valuable guide for the zoning of the horse trade in the studied area (Gorsich et al, 2016;Grisi-Filho et al, 2013).…”

First detection of Theileria parva in cattle from Cameroon in the absence of the main tick vector Rhipicephalus appendiculatus

“…Key geographic and climatic features of each AEZ have been previously described (Silatsa, Kuiate, et al, 2019a). AEZ II represents the main cattle production area in Cameroon with a population estimated at approximately 1.25 million head of cattle (Motta et al, 2017). This region is the main destination of transhumant herders originating from neighbouring countries (Motta et al, 2018).…”