Perceived risk factors and risk pathways of Rift Valley fever in cattle in Ijara district, Kenya
Ijara district in Kenya was one of the hotspots of Rift Valley fever (RVF) during the 2006/2007 outbreak, which led to human and animal deaths causing major economic losses. The main constraint for the control and prevention of RVF is inadequate knowledge of the risk factors for its occurrence and m...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2014-11-01
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| Series: | Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ojvr.org/index.php/ojvr/article/view/780 |
| _version_ | 1798046269621403648 |
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| author | Nelson O. Owange William O. Ogara Jacqueline Kasiiti Peter B. Gathura Sam Okuthe Rosemary Sang Hippolyte Affognon Washington Onyango-Ouma Tobias T.O. Landmann Murithi Mbabu |
| author_facet | Nelson O. Owange William O. Ogara Jacqueline Kasiiti Peter B. Gathura Sam Okuthe Rosemary Sang Hippolyte Affognon Washington Onyango-Ouma Tobias T.O. Landmann Murithi Mbabu |
| author_sort | Nelson O. Owange |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ijara district in Kenya was one of the hotspots of Rift Valley fever (RVF) during the 2006/2007 outbreak, which led to human and animal deaths causing major economic losses. The main constraint for the control and prevention of RVF is inadequate knowledge of the risk factors for its occurrence and maintenance. This study was aimed at understanding the perceived risk factors and risk pathways of RVF in cattle in Ijara to enable the development of improved community-based disease surveillance, prediction, control and prevention. A cross-sectional study was carried out from September 2012 to June 2013. Thirty-one key informant interviews were conducted with relevant stakeholders to determine the local pastoralists’ understanding of risk factors and risk pathways of RVF in cattle in Ijara district. All the key informants perceived the presence of high numbers of mosquitoes and large numbers of cattle to be the most important risk factors contributing to the occurrence of RVF in cattle in Ijara. Key informants classified high rainfall as the most important (12/31) to an important (19/31) risk factor. The main risk pathways were infected mosquitoes that bite cattle whilst grazing and at watering points as well as close contact between domestic animals and wildlife. The likelihood of contamination of the environment as a result of poor handling of carcasses and aborted foetuses during RVF outbreaks was not considered an important pathway. There is therefore a need to conduct regular participatory community awareness sessions on handling of animal carcasses in terms of preparedness, prevention and control of any possible RVF epizootics. Additionally, monitoring of environmental conditions to detect enhanced rainfall and flooding should be prioritised for preparedness. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T23:36:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b52a5f8501524c5dbc04e35d3ca7e268 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0030-2465 2219-0635 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T23:36:10Z |
| publishDate | 2014-11-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-b52a5f8501524c5dbc04e35d3ca7e2682022-12-22T03:56:58ZengAOSISOnderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research0030-24652219-06352014-11-01811e1e710.4102/ojvr.v81i1.780471Perceived risk factors and risk pathways of Rift Valley fever in cattle in Ijara district, KenyaNelson O. Owange0William O. Ogara1Jacqueline Kasiiti2Peter B. Gathura3Sam Okuthe4Rosemary Sang5Hippolyte Affognon6Washington Onyango-Ouma7Tobias T.O. Landmann8Murithi Mbabu9Department of Public Health Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of NairobiDepartment of Public Health Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of NairobiDepartment of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and FisheriesDepartment of Public Health Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of NairobiEmergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology, NairobiInternational Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology, NairobiCollege of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of NairobiInternational Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology, NairobiDepartment of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and FisheriesIjara district in Kenya was one of the hotspots of Rift Valley fever (RVF) during the 2006/2007 outbreak, which led to human and animal deaths causing major economic losses. The main constraint for the control and prevention of RVF is inadequate knowledge of the risk factors for its occurrence and maintenance. This study was aimed at understanding the perceived risk factors and risk pathways of RVF in cattle in Ijara to enable the development of improved community-based disease surveillance, prediction, control and prevention. A cross-sectional study was carried out from September 2012 to June 2013. Thirty-one key informant interviews were conducted with relevant stakeholders to determine the local pastoralists’ understanding of risk factors and risk pathways of RVF in cattle in Ijara district. All the key informants perceived the presence of high numbers of mosquitoes and large numbers of cattle to be the most important risk factors contributing to the occurrence of RVF in cattle in Ijara. Key informants classified high rainfall as the most important (12/31) to an important (19/31) risk factor. The main risk pathways were infected mosquitoes that bite cattle whilst grazing and at watering points as well as close contact between domestic animals and wildlife. The likelihood of contamination of the environment as a result of poor handling of carcasses and aborted foetuses during RVF outbreaks was not considered an important pathway. There is therefore a need to conduct regular participatory community awareness sessions on handling of animal carcasses in terms of preparedness, prevention and control of any possible RVF epizootics. Additionally, monitoring of environmental conditions to detect enhanced rainfall and flooding should be prioritised for preparedness.https://ojvr.org/index.php/ojvr/article/view/780Rift Valley FeverRisk factorsRisk pathway Analysis |
| spellingShingle | Nelson O. Owange William O. Ogara Jacqueline Kasiiti Peter B. Gathura Sam Okuthe Rosemary Sang Hippolyte Affognon Washington Onyango-Ouma Tobias T.O. Landmann Murithi Mbabu Perceived risk factors and risk pathways of Rift Valley fever in cattle in Ijara district, Kenya Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research Rift Valley Fever Risk factors Risk pathway Analysis |
| title | Perceived risk factors and risk pathways of Rift Valley fever in cattle in Ijara district, Kenya |
| title_full | Perceived risk factors and risk pathways of Rift Valley fever in cattle in Ijara district, Kenya |
| title_fullStr | Perceived risk factors and risk pathways of Rift Valley fever in cattle in Ijara district, Kenya |
| title_full_unstemmed | Perceived risk factors and risk pathways of Rift Valley fever in cattle in Ijara district, Kenya |
| title_short | Perceived risk factors and risk pathways of Rift Valley fever in cattle in Ijara district, Kenya |
| title_sort | perceived risk factors and risk pathways of rift valley fever in cattle in ijara district kenya |
| topic | Rift Valley Fever Risk factors Risk pathway Analysis |
| url | https://ojvr.org/index.php/ojvr/article/view/780 |
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