Mapping brucellosis risk in Kenya and its implications for control strategies in sub-Saharan Africa

In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), effective brucellosis control is limited, in part, by the lack of long-term commitments by governments to control the disease and the absence of reliable national human and livestock population-based data to inform policies. Therefore, we conducted a study to establish t...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Akoko, James M., Mwatondo, Athman, Muturi, Mathew, Wambua, Lillian, Abkallo, Hussein M., Nyamota, Richard, Bosire, Caroline, Oloo, Stephen, Limbaso, K.S., Gakuya, F., Nthiwa, D., Bartlow, A., Middlebrook, E., Fair, J., Ogutu, J.O., Gachohi, J., Njenga, K., Bett, Bernard K.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Springer 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/134632
_version_ 1855537139820789760
author Akoko, James M.
Mwatondo, Athman
Muturi, Mathew
Wambua, Lillian
Abkallo, Hussein M.
Nyamota, Richard
Bosire, Caroline
Oloo, Stephen
Limbaso, K.S.
Gakuya, F.
Nthiwa, D.
Bartlow, A.
Middlebrook, E.
Fair, J.
Ogutu, J.O.
Gachohi, J.
Njenga, K.
Bett, Bernard K.
author_browse Abkallo, Hussein M.
Akoko, James M.
Bartlow, A.
Bett, Bernard K.
Bosire, Caroline
Fair, J.
Gachohi, J.
Gakuya, F.
Limbaso, K.S.
Middlebrook, E.
Muturi, Mathew
Mwatondo, Athman
Njenga, K.
Nthiwa, D.
Nyamota, Richard
Ogutu, J.O.
Oloo, Stephen
Wambua, Lillian
author_facet Akoko, James M.
Mwatondo, Athman
Muturi, Mathew
Wambua, Lillian
Abkallo, Hussein M.
Nyamota, Richard
Bosire, Caroline
Oloo, Stephen
Limbaso, K.S.
Gakuya, F.
Nthiwa, D.
Bartlow, A.
Middlebrook, E.
Fair, J.
Ogutu, J.O.
Gachohi, J.
Njenga, K.
Bett, Bernard K.
author_sort Akoko, James M.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), effective brucellosis control is limited, in part, by the lack of long-term commitments by governments to control the disease and the absence of reliable national human and livestock population-based data to inform policies. Therefore, we conducted a study to establish the national prevalence and develop a risk map for Brucella spp. in cattle to contribute to plans to eliminate the disease in Kenya by the year 2040. We randomly generated 268 geolocations and distributed them across Kenya, proportionate to the area of each of the five agroecological zones and the associated cattle population. Cattle herds closest to each selected geolocation were identified for sampling. Up to 25 cattle were sampled per geolocation and a semi-structured questionnaire was administered to their owners. We tested 6,593 cattle samples for Brucella immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies using an Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We assessed potential risk factors and performed spatial analyses and prevalence mapping using approximate Bayesian inference implemented via the integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA) method. The national Brucella spp. prevalence was 6.8% (95% CI: 6.2–7.4%). Exposure levels varied significantly between agro-ecological zones, with a high of 8.5% in the very arid zone with the lowest agricultural potential relative to a low of 0.0% in the agro-alpine zone with the highest agricultural potential. Additionally, seroprevalence increased with herd size, and the odds of seropositivity were significantly higher for females and adult animals than for males or calves. Similarly, animals with a history of abortion, or with multiple reproductive syndromes had higher seropositivity than those without. At the herd level, the risk of Brucella spp. transmission was higher in larger herds, and herds with a history of reproductive problems such as abortion, giving birth to weak calves, or having swollen testes. Geographic localities with high Brucella seroprevalence occurred in northern, eastern, and southern regions of Kenya all primarily characterized by semi-arid or arid agro-ecological zones dominated by livestock pastoralism interspersed with vast areas with mixed livestock-wildlife systems. The large spatial extent of our survey provides compelling evidence for the widespread geographical distribution of brucellosis risk across Kenya in a manner easily understandable for policymakers. Our findings can provide a basis for risk-stratified pilot studies aiming to investigate the cost-effectiveness and efficacy of singular and combined preventive intervention strategies that seek to inform Kenya’s Brucellosis Control Policy.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace134632
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2023
publishDateRange 2023
publishDateSort 2023
publisher Springer
publisherStr Springer
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace1346322025-10-26T12:55:36Z Mapping brucellosis risk in Kenya and its implications for control strategies in sub-Saharan Africa Akoko, James M. Mwatondo, Athman Muturi, Mathew Wambua, Lillian Abkallo, Hussein M. Nyamota, Richard Bosire, Caroline Oloo, Stephen Limbaso, K.S. Gakuya, F. Nthiwa, D. Bartlow, A. Middlebrook, E. Fair, J. Ogutu, J.O. Gachohi, J. Njenga, K. Bett, Bernard K. brucellosis disease control zoonoses cattle In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), effective brucellosis control is limited, in part, by the lack of long-term commitments by governments to control the disease and the absence of reliable national human and livestock population-based data to inform policies. Therefore, we conducted a study to establish the national prevalence and develop a risk map for Brucella spp. in cattle to contribute to plans to eliminate the disease in Kenya by the year 2040. We randomly generated 268 geolocations and distributed them across Kenya, proportionate to the area of each of the five agroecological zones and the associated cattle population. Cattle herds closest to each selected geolocation were identified for sampling. Up to 25 cattle were sampled per geolocation and a semi-structured questionnaire was administered to their owners. We tested 6,593 cattle samples for Brucella immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies using an Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We assessed potential risk factors and performed spatial analyses and prevalence mapping using approximate Bayesian inference implemented via the integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA) method. The national Brucella spp. prevalence was 6.8% (95% CI: 6.2–7.4%). Exposure levels varied significantly between agro-ecological zones, with a high of 8.5% in the very arid zone with the lowest agricultural potential relative to a low of 0.0% in the agro-alpine zone with the highest agricultural potential. Additionally, seroprevalence increased with herd size, and the odds of seropositivity were significantly higher for females and adult animals than for males or calves. Similarly, animals with a history of abortion, or with multiple reproductive syndromes had higher seropositivity than those without. At the herd level, the risk of Brucella spp. transmission was higher in larger herds, and herds with a history of reproductive problems such as abortion, giving birth to weak calves, or having swollen testes. Geographic localities with high Brucella seroprevalence occurred in northern, eastern, and southern regions of Kenya all primarily characterized by semi-arid or arid agro-ecological zones dominated by livestock pastoralism interspersed with vast areas with mixed livestock-wildlife systems. The large spatial extent of our survey provides compelling evidence for the widespread geographical distribution of brucellosis risk across Kenya in a manner easily understandable for policymakers. Our findings can provide a basis for risk-stratified pilot studies aiming to investigate the cost-effectiveness and efficacy of singular and combined preventive intervention strategies that seek to inform Kenya’s Brucellosis Control Policy. 2023-11-18 2023-11-22T13:10:50Z 2023-11-22T13:10:50Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/134632 en Open Access Springer Akoko, J.M., Mwatondo, A., Muturi, M., Wambua, L., Abkallo, H.M., Nyamota, R., Bosire, C., Oloo, S., Limbaso, K.S., Gakuya, F., Nthiwa, D., Bartlow, A., Middlebrook, E., Fair, J., Ogutu, J.O., Gachohi, J., Njenga, K. and Bett, B. 2023. Mapping brucellosis risk in Kenya and its implications for control strategies in sub-Saharan Africa. Scientific Reports 13: 20192.
spellingShingle brucellosis
disease control
zoonoses
cattle
Akoko, James M.
Mwatondo, Athman
Muturi, Mathew
Wambua, Lillian
Abkallo, Hussein M.
Nyamota, Richard
Bosire, Caroline
Oloo, Stephen
Limbaso, K.S.
Gakuya, F.
Nthiwa, D.
Bartlow, A.
Middlebrook, E.
Fair, J.
Ogutu, J.O.
Gachohi, J.
Njenga, K.
Bett, Bernard K.
Mapping brucellosis risk in Kenya and its implications for control strategies in sub-Saharan Africa
title Mapping brucellosis risk in Kenya and its implications for control strategies in sub-Saharan Africa
title_full Mapping brucellosis risk in Kenya and its implications for control strategies in sub-Saharan Africa
title_fullStr Mapping brucellosis risk in Kenya and its implications for control strategies in sub-Saharan Africa
title_full_unstemmed Mapping brucellosis risk in Kenya and its implications for control strategies in sub-Saharan Africa
title_short Mapping brucellosis risk in Kenya and its implications for control strategies in sub-Saharan Africa
title_sort mapping brucellosis risk in kenya and its implications for control strategies in sub saharan africa
topic brucellosis
disease control
zoonoses
cattle
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/134632
work_keys_str_mv AT akokojamesm mappingbrucellosisriskinkenyaanditsimplicationsforcontrolstrategiesinsubsaharanafrica
AT mwatondoathman mappingbrucellosisriskinkenyaanditsimplicationsforcontrolstrategiesinsubsaharanafrica
AT muturimathew mappingbrucellosisriskinkenyaanditsimplicationsforcontrolstrategiesinsubsaharanafrica
AT wambualillian mappingbrucellosisriskinkenyaanditsimplicationsforcontrolstrategiesinsubsaharanafrica
AT abkallohusseinm mappingbrucellosisriskinkenyaanditsimplicationsforcontrolstrategiesinsubsaharanafrica
AT nyamotarichard mappingbrucellosisriskinkenyaanditsimplicationsforcontrolstrategiesinsubsaharanafrica
AT bosirecaroline mappingbrucellosisriskinkenyaanditsimplicationsforcontrolstrategiesinsubsaharanafrica
AT oloostephen mappingbrucellosisriskinkenyaanditsimplicationsforcontrolstrategiesinsubsaharanafrica
AT limbasoks mappingbrucellosisriskinkenyaanditsimplicationsforcontrolstrategiesinsubsaharanafrica
AT gakuyaf mappingbrucellosisriskinkenyaanditsimplicationsforcontrolstrategiesinsubsaharanafrica
AT nthiwad mappingbrucellosisriskinkenyaanditsimplicationsforcontrolstrategiesinsubsaharanafrica
AT bartlowa mappingbrucellosisriskinkenyaanditsimplicationsforcontrolstrategiesinsubsaharanafrica
AT middlebrooke mappingbrucellosisriskinkenyaanditsimplicationsforcontrolstrategiesinsubsaharanafrica
AT fairj mappingbrucellosisriskinkenyaanditsimplicationsforcontrolstrategiesinsubsaharanafrica
AT ogutujo mappingbrucellosisriskinkenyaanditsimplicationsforcontrolstrategiesinsubsaharanafrica
AT gachohij mappingbrucellosisriskinkenyaanditsimplicationsforcontrolstrategiesinsubsaharanafrica
AT njengak mappingbrucellosisriskinkenyaanditsimplicationsforcontrolstrategiesinsubsaharanafrica
AT bettbernardk mappingbrucellosisriskinkenyaanditsimplicationsforcontrolstrategiesinsubsaharanafrica