Knowledge of pastoralists on livestock diseases and exposure assessment to brucellosis within rural and peri-urban areas in Kajiado, Kenya

Abstract

Background: Livestock diseases impact the livelihoods of pastoralists. Brucellosis, a neglected zoonotic disease is highly prevalent in this system with an estimated 16% of livestock population in sub-Saharan Africa infected with the disease. The objective of this study was to assess knowledge of livestock diseases and the risk of exposure to brucellosis among pastoralists living in Kajiado County of Kenya. Methods: The study sites included pastoralist communities living in rural and peri-urban areas within the County. Both primary and secondary data were collected using participatory methods including pairwise ranking, proportional piling and probing and a review of the published literature. Exposure risk assessment was conducted according to the CODEX Alimentarius framework: Hazard identification, hazard characterization, exposure assessment and risk estimation. Results: According to pastoralists, livestock diseases that frequently occurred in their flocks and herds were contagious caprine pleuropneumonia, lumpy skin disease and foot and mouth disease; but zoonoses, including anthrax and brucellosis, were also mentioned during focus group discussions. Potential pathways of exposure to brucellosis and other zoonoses included consumption of unpasteurized milk, handling infected aborted materials without protective measures and consumption of raw meat and raw blood. Consumption of unpasteurized milk and handling infected aborted materials without protectives were linked with high risk of exposure to household members living in rural areas, with the risk level within the peri-urban areas ranked very low to low for most of these risk practices. Conclusions: The results call for enhanced public education targeting vulnerable groups to mitigate risks of disease spread and other impacts of brucellosis within the affected pastoralist production systems.

Knowledge, perceptions, and practices around zoonotic diseases among actors in the livestock trade in the Lake Victoria crescent ecosystem in East Africa

“…These are not necessarily animals suffering from zoonotic infections, but just ways of knowing if an animal is sick. This is consistent with the findings of Onono et al ( 53 ). These ways of identifying sick animals were noted as familiar to both trekkers and traders, and they included dropped ears, excess mucus production, diarrhea, bloody urinal discharge, and general animal activity levels.…”

Farmers’ perceptions of bovine brucellosis in Benin

“…[ 35 ] and Hessa et al . [ 36 ] in Benin, as well as in several African countries such as Kenya [ 37 ], Tanzania [ 38 ], and Cameroon [ 39 ], with rates between 69% and 92% of men engaged in cattle breeding. The Fulani comprised the largest sociolinguistic group.…”

Prevalence of subclinical mastitis, associated risk factors and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of bacteria isolated from milk of dairy cattle in Kajiado Central sub‐county, Kenya

“…This could be achieved by encouraging the farmers to consult veterinarians for the treatment of their animals and compliance with the prudent use of antibiotics. Considering the observed high prevalence of SCM and resistance, there is also a need to determine whether there is a possible spread of these bacteria to humans through such means as consumption of raw milk which is common among the pastoralists in the study area (Onono et al., 2019).…”