Prioritizing smallholder animal health needs in East Africa, West Africa, and South Asia using three approaches: Literature review, expert workshops, and practitioner surveys

Abstract

Highlights Literature review constraints included FMD, parasites, brucellosis, and PPR. Expert workshops added CCPP, CBPP, mastitis, and reproductive disorders. Most constraints manageable with existing technologies / best husbandry practices. Systemic challenges limit livestock keepers’ access to vet services and inputs.

Transboundary Animal Diseases, an Overview of 17 Diseases with Potential for Global Spread and Serious Consequences

“…In contrast to a disease with such obviously devastating impacts, it can be challenging to demonstrate the overall importance of eradicating diseases with low mortality or that primarily affect animals of lower individual value or that are relied on mainly by individuals in poverty-stricken regions [519,612]. Approaches that include participatory epidemiology and studies focusing on the impact on small stakeholders could help address these issues [3,271,652,653].…”

Critical Systematic Review of Zoonoses and Transboundary Animal Diseases’ Prioritization in Africa

“…Indeed, in this study, there was a wide variation of disease list lengths (number of listed diseases) between countries whatever the prioritization method used. Prioritization processes were held during a workshop (or focus group discussion and surveys) following a preparation period lasting several months and deeply relying on local partners’ engagement and implication of technical and financial partners [ 3 , 10 , 35 , 36 ]. Criteria identification and/or weighing or disease classification based on previously identified criteria were performed by the selected participants.…”

“…Thus, at the local level despite not being diseases properly speaking, ectoparasite infestations were top ranked, followed by known diseases or syndromes such as contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), foot and mouth disease (FMD), blackleg, bloody diarrhea, and pasteurellosis [ 35 ]. Similarly, at national/regional levels, the top constraints that emerged from a prioritization process including three approaches (literature review, expert workshops, and para-veterinarian practitioner surveys) were endo/ectoparasites, FMD, brucellosis, peste des petits ruminants, Newcastle disease, avian influenza, contagious caprine pleuropneumonia, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, mastitis, reproductive disorders, and nutrition constraints [ 36 ]. The listing of endo/ectoparasite infestations and nutrition constraints as major animal health problems in farming communities shows that more research is required to better understand and bridge the differences between decision makers and the farmers about their perception of disease impacts [ 75 ] for efficient animal and zoonotic disease prevention and control at all levels.…”

“…Thus, as far as stakeholders are concerned, in addition to area of expertise and multisectoral considerations, prioritization processes should go down to the field or community health practitioners and representative of farmers. Such an approach should make sure to minimize stakeholder-driven prioritization biases, and funding/research priorities should align with improving the welfare of smallholder livestock keepers while taking into consideration human and environmental health interests [ 36 , 76 ] by therefore mitigating subjectivity (individual or group), enhancing transparency needed for disease prioritization exercises, and combining both natural and social sciences research during prioritization processes [ 5 ]. Yet disease prioritization processes should be updated as new information affecting drivers or criteria measurements arises [ 2 ].…”

Cell Death and Transcriptional Responses Induced in Larvae of the Nematode Haemonchus contortus by Toxins/Toxicants with Broad Phylogenetic Efficacy

“…H. contortus , an abomasal parasite of small ruminants, was chosen due to its veterinary importance and a number of experimental advantages it offers, including availability of large numbers of infective L3 and the ability to culture exsheathed L3 (xL3) to “parasitic” L4s. H. contortus feeds on blood and is one of the most detrimental pathogens of small ruminants, which are important resources for nutrition and commerce in many developing regions of the world [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]. The propensity of H. contortus to rapidly acquire anthelmintic resistance makes advances to control this parasite highly important.…”