Higher livestock abortion burden in arid and semi-arid lands, Kenya, 2019–2020

Abstract

Tracking livestock abortion patterns over time and across factors such as species and agroecological zones (AEZs) could inform policies to mitigate disease emergence, zoonoses risk, and reproductive losses. We conducted a year-long population-based active surveillance of livestock abortion between 2019 and 2020, in administrative areas covering 52% of Kenya’s landmass and home to 50% of Kenya’s livestock. Surveillance sites were randomly selected to represent all AEZs in the country. Local animal health practitioners electronically transmitted weekly abortion reports from each ward, the smallest administrative unit, to a central server, using a simple short messaging service (SMS). Data were analyzed descriptively by administrative unit, species, and AEZ to reveal spatiotemporal patterns and relationships with rainfall and temperature. Of 23,766 abortions reported in all livestock species, sheep and goats contributed 77%, with goats alone contributing 53%. Seventy-seven per cent (n = 18,280) of these abortions occurred in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) that primarily practice pastoralism production systems. While spatiotemporal clustering of cases was observed in May-July 2019 in the ASALs, there was a substantial seasonal fluctuation across AEZs. Kenya experiences high livestock abortion rates, most of which go unreported. We recommend further research to document the national true burden of abortions. In ASALs, studies linking pathogen, climate, and environmental surveillance are needed to assign livestock abortions to infectious or non-infectious aetiologies and conducting human acute febrile illnesses surveillance to detect any links with the abortions.

Exploring community-based reporting of livestock abortions for Rift Valley Fever surveillance in Uganda: A pilot study

“…Such call centres are particularly valuable for animal disease surveillance in settings like Uganda where the majority of livestock farmers have phones but do not necessarily have internet access. When a similar pilot study was carried out in Kenya the authors recommended pathogen specific abortions reporting and investigation which our work has contributed to (Gachohi et al, 2024). Such call centres can provide added value to both farmers and policy makers.…”

“…However, RVF surveillance is typically only carried out responsively after outbreaks that have already led to the loss of human lives or livestock. Proactive early warning surveillance systems based on known signs and symptoms, such as anomalous patterns of abortion in livestock, could help to minimize human RVF incidence and to promote livestock health (Gachohi et al, 2024).…”

“…The rate of abortion among pregnant ewes is reported to be almost 100% and over 90% of lambs infected with RVF die (WHO, 2022). Livestock abortions are a well-documented production and economic burden to famers, especially among livestock farming communities and countries that depend on agriculture (Gachohi et al, 2024; Kaur et al, 2023; Lokamar et al, 2020). In addition to the lost foetuses, abortion poses an additional excess mortality risk for female animals (Muma et al, 2006).…”

Monitoring livestock pregnancy loss

“…Therefore, collecting and analyzing data on abortion rates and their timing and associated factors could help authorities detect deviations from baseline levels that signal infections or environmental stressors that warrant further investigation ( Norzin et al, 2023 ). This would serve as a resource for prioritizing disease control strategies ( Gachohi et al, 2024 ), allowing policymakers to allocate resources strategically, minimizing the economic burden on farmers and the broader agricultural industry.…”