Journal Article

Local disease–ecosystem–livelihood dynamics: reflections from comparative case studies in Africa

Bett, Bernard, Sang, Rosemary, Koninga, James, Anderson, Neil, Kuleszo, Joanna, Dzingirai, Vupenyu, Machila, Noreen, Amponsah-Mensah, Kofi, Moses, Lina M., Wilkinson, Annie, Grant, Donald S., Lawson, Elaine, Leach, Melissa, Mangwanya, Lindiwe, Schaten, Kathryn, Bukachi, Salome, Ntiamoa-Baidu, Yaa, Said, M.

2017

Overview

This article explores the implications for human health of local interactions between disease, ecosystems and livelihoods. Five interdisciplinary case studies addressed zoonotic diseases in African settings: Rift Valley fever (RVF) in Kenya, human African trypanosomiasis in Zambia and Zimbabwe, Lassa fever in Sierra Leone and henipaviruses in Ghana. Each explored how ecological changes and human–ecosystem interactions affect pathogen dynamics and hence the likelihood of zoonotic spillover and transmission, and how socially differentiated peoples’ interactions with ecosystems and animals affect their exposure to disease. Cross-case analysis highlights how these dynamics vary by ecosystem type, across a range from humid forest to semi-arid savannah; the significance of interacting temporal and spatial scales; and the importance of mosaic and patch dynamics. Ecosystem interactions and services central to different people's livelihoods and well-being include pastoralism and agro-pastoralism, commercial and subsistence crop farming, hunting, collecting food, fuelwood and medicines, and cultural practices. There are synergies, but also tensions and trade-offs, between ecosystem changes that benefit livelihoods and affect disease. Understanding these can inform ‘One Health’ approaches towards managing ecosystems in ways that reduce disease risks and burdens. This article is part of the themed issue ‘One Health for a changing world: zoonoses, ecosystems and human well-being’.

• Publisher: The Royal Society,The Royal Society Publishing
• Subject: Africa / Africa - epidemiology / African trypanosomiasis / Agriculture / Animal Husbandry / Animals / Aridity / Case studies / Coccidioidomycosis / Comparative studies / Disease / Disease control / Dynamics / Ecosystem / Ecosystem management / Ecosystems / Environmental changes / Farming / Health risks / Henipavirus Infections - epidemiology / Henipavirus Infections - transmission / Henipavirus Infections - virology / Humans / Hunting / Lassa fever / Lassa Fever - epidemiology / Lassa Fever - transmission / Lassa Fever - virology / Livelihoods / One Health / Pastoralism / Prevalence / Rift Valley fever / Rift Valley Fever - epidemiology / Rift Valley Fever - transmission / Rift Valley Fever - virology / Subsistence farming / Trypanosomiasis, African - epidemiology / Trypanosomiasis, African - parasitology / Trypanosomiasis, African - transmission / Vector-borne diseases / Viral diseases / Zoonoses / Zoonoses - epidemiology / Zoonoses - parasitology / Zoonoses - transmission / Zoonoses - virology / Zoonosis