Journal Article

Seroprevalence and risk factors for Q fever and Rift Valley fever in pastoralists and their livestock in Afar, Ethiopia: A One Health approach

Alemu, Ayinalem, Zinsstag, Jakob, Gemechu, Gizachew, Gebregiorgis, Ashenafi, Paris, Daniel Henry, Tschopp, Rea, Oakley, Regina Bina

2024

Overview

Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Q fever, and Rift Valley fever virus are two under-researched zoonotic pathogens in Ethiopia. Potential outbreaks of these diseases, in light of the high dependency of nomadic pastoralists on their livestock, poses a risk to both human and animal health in addition to risking the pastoralists livelihoods. Our study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and associated risk factors for Q fever and Rift Valley fever in pastoral communities in the Afar region of north-eastern Ethiopia. This cross-sectional study screened pastoralists (n = 323) and their livestock (n = 1377) for IgG antibodies to Coxiella burnetii and Rift Valley fever virus. A seroprevalence for Q fever of 25.0% (95%CI 18.6-32.6) was found in pastoralists and 34.3% (95%CI 27.9-41.3) in livestock overall; with 51.9% in goats (95%CI 44.9-58.8), 39.9% in sheep (95%CI 24.6-51.2), 16.3% in camels (95%CI 10.4-24.6) and 8.8% in cattle (95%CI 5.0-15.0). For Rift Valley fever the seroprevalence in pastoralists was 6.1% (95%CI 3.3-11.0) and 3.9% (95%CI 2.6-5.7) in livestock overall; cattle had the highest seroprevalence (8.3%, 95%CI 3.3-19.2), followed by goats (2.7%; 95%CI 1.4-5.1), sheep (2.5%; 95%CI 1.0-5.9) and camels (1.8%; 95%CI 0.4-6.9). Human Q fever seropositivity was found to be associated with goat abortions (OR = 2.11, 95%CI 1.18-3.78, p = 0.011), while Rift Valley fever seropositivity in livestock was found to be associated with cattle abortions (OR = 2.52, 95%CI 1.05-6.08, p = 0.039). This study provides evidence for a notable exposure to both Q fever and Rift Valley fever in pastoralists and livestock in Afar. The outbreak potential of these pathogens warrants ongoing integrated human and animal surveillance requiring close collaboration of the human and animal health sectors with community representatives following a One Health approach.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Adolescent / Adult / Animal health / Animals / Antibodies, Bacterial - blood / Antibodies, Viral - blood / Biology and Life Sciences / Camelidae / Camelus - virology / Cattle / Cattle Diseases - epidemiology / Cattle Diseases - virology / Coccidioidomycosis / Coxiella burnetii / Coxiella burnetii - immunology / Cross-Sectional Studies / Effectiveness / Ethiopia - epidemiology / Female / Goats / Health aspects / Health surveillance / Herders / Humans / Immunoglobulin G / Immunoglobulin G - blood / Livelihoods / Livestock / Livestock - virology / Male / Medicine and Health Sciences / Middle Aged / One Health / Outbreaks / Pathogens / Q fever / Q Fever - epidemiology / Q Fever - veterinary / Rift Valley fever / Rift Valley Fever - epidemiology / Rift Valley fever virus - immunology / Risk Factors / Seroepidemiologic Studies / Serology / Sheep / Statistics / Vector-borne diseases / Viral diseases / Young Adult / Zoonoses / Zoonoses - epidemiology