A descriptive study of zoonotic disease risk at the human-wildlife interface in a biodiversity hot spot in South Western Uganda.

Zoonotic diseases pose a significant health challenge at the human–wildlife interface, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa where ecosystem services contribute significantly to local livelihoods and individual well-being. In Uganda, the fragmented forests of Hoima district, form part of a “biodiversity and emerging infectious disease hotspot” composed of communities with high dependency on these wildlife protected areas, unaware of the associated health risks. We conducted a cross-sectional mixed methods study from March to May 2017 and interviewed 370 respondents, using a semi-structured questionnaire from eight villages neighbouring forest fragments in Hoima District, Uganda. Additionally, a total of ten (10) focus group discussions (FGDs) consisting of 6–10 men or women were conducted to further explore the drivers of hunting and perception of zoonotic disease risks at community level. Qualitative and quantitative data were analysed using content analysis and STATA version 12 respectively. We found twenty-nine percent (29.0%, CI: 24.4–33.9) of respondents were engaged in hunting of wildlife such as chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) and 45.8% (CI: 40.6–51.0), cane rats (Thryonomyidae spp). Acquisition of animal protein was among the main reasons why communities hunt (55.3%, CI: 50.1–60.4), followed by “cultural” and “medicinal” uses of wildlife and or its parts (22.7%, CI: 18.6–27.4). Results further revealed that hunting and bushmeat consumption is persistent for other perceived reasons like; bushmeat strengthens the body, helps mothers recover faster after delivery, boosts one’s immunity and hunting is exercise for the body. However, respondents reported falling sick after consumption of bushmeat at least once (7.9%, CI: 5.3–11.1), with 5.3% (CI: 2.60–9.60) reporting similar symptoms among some family members. Generally, few respondents (37.0%, CI: 32.1–42.2) were aware of diseases transmissible from wildlife to humans, although 88.7% (CI: 85.0–92.0) had heard of Ebola or Marburg without context. Hunting non-human primate poses a health risk compared to edible rats (cane rats) and wild ruminants (cOR = 0.4, 95% CI = 0.1–0.9) and (cOR = 0.7, 95% CI = 0.2–2.1) respectively. Study suggests some of the pathways for zoonotic disease spillover to humans exist at interface areas driven by livelihoods, nutrition and cultural needs. This study offers opportunities for a comprehensive risk communication and health education strategy for communities living at the interface of wildlife and human interactions.

Continued availability and sale of pangolins in a major urban bushmeat market in Cameroon despite national bans and the COVID-19 outbreak.

Monkeys are potential sources of infectious diseases to humans. Mona monkeys frequently gain access to human dwellings within the University of Lagos campus. This study was conducted to assess the level of human-monkey interaction with a view to determining if such interaction will create an avenue for zoonotic disease transmission from monkeys to humans resident in this human-wildlife interface. Information on frequency and closeness of human – monkey interaction was gathered from 395 respondents using a semi-structured questionnaire and in-depth interviews. These were used to determine respondents’ attitude towards the monkeys as well as their knowledge on monkey related zoonoses. Responses from the questionnaire were entered into and analysed using EPI INFO TM version 7.2.0.1 statistical software. Categorical data were summarised as tables and bar chart. Chi Square, Fisher exact tests and binary logistic regression were used to test for significance and deduce relationships among variables. Statistical significance was determined at 95% Confidence interval. Most of the respondents (63.5%) were undergraduates; while 70.1% of all respondents were residents on campus. Only 19.8% and 6.6% of the respondents had close and risky contacts respectively, while 11.1% and 8.3% had negligible and minimal contacts respectively. Majority of the respondents (69.1%) had inadequate knowledge about monkey related zoonoses Only 39% were aware that monkeys could transmit disease to humans and 2% believed that monkeys could not transmit diseases to humans. Campus residents have significantly closer contacts with monkeys than visitors (p<0.05, OR=0.32). Residents were three times more likely to have had any form of contact with monkeys than non-residents. There was no significant difference between the frequency of risky human-monkey contacts among visitors and residents. The low level of awareness about zoonotic disease among the respondents could be ameliorated through public health awareness campaigns by health workers and conservationists. Keywords: Conservation, Human–wildlife interface, Mona monkeys, Public health, Zoonosis

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has drawn renewed attention to bushmeat consumption in the Global South, with the risks and consequences of zoonotic disease transmission proving critical for global public health. Conservation and development practitioners have long targeted bushmeat trade and consumption, seeking to reduce hunting pressures on wildlife and natural ecosystems by introducing alternative proteins and livelihoods to rural communities. While the shortcomings of these interventions have frequently been attributed to failures to integrate local perspectives and needs in program design, in this study we ask how the unexamined values of conservation and development practitioners themselves may contribute to the further marginalization of rural communities. We consider three prevalent framings of the “bushmeat crisis”: the juxtaposition of global conservation priorities against local resource use, the developmental distinction between industrial food production and bushmeat hunting practices, and the problems that arise when bushmeat consumption shifts to urban centers from rural communities. By turning our attention to the ideologies that structure interventions for bushmeat consumption and trade, this paper questions the imagined neutrality of conservation and development interventions. We highlight how moral valuations are embedded in the prioritization of the “global” good of biodiversity conservation, to the exclusion of local relations with these same species and ecosystems. At the same time, cultural biases privilege a developmental pathway away from dietary dependence on bushmeat. Finally, we note the substantive differences between urban and rural bushmeat consumption practices, often occluded in blanket condemnations of the wildlife trade. At a moment when bushmeat trade and consumption are broadly identified as the source of a devastating pandemic, it is ever more critical to ensure that future interventions for public health and conservation alike are based on a more nuanced understanding of the multiple and diverse actors, practices, and worldviews involved.

Consumption and trade in bushmeat are entrenched in sub-Saharan Africa amid growing land degradation and environmental pollution that raise safety concerns, yet sustainability of bushmeat extraction and zoonoses considerations have been the focus of bushmeat research. Here, we evaluated the health risk of trace metals in the skeletal muscle, bone, liver, and skin of the black duiker (Cephalophus niger), brush-tailed porcupine (Atherurus africanus), bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus), cane rat (Thryonomys swinderianus), and Maxwell's duiker (Cephalophus maxwelli) being the five most hunted and consumed species of bushmeat in Ghana. Sample tissues of the five species were analyzed for Cu, Zn, Se, Cd, As, Pb, and Hg. Targeted hazard quotient (THQ) of Se for black duiker, bushback, and Maxwell's duiker as well as that of Pb for black duiker, Brush-tailed porcupine, and Maxwell's duiker were concerning (> 1) for individuals foraging daily on bushmeat. Thus, cane rat was the only species that recorded both estimated daily intake (EDI) and THQ of Se and Pb within safe limits for daily consumption. In respect of Cu, Zn, Cd, As, and Hg, EDI and THQ values indicated no perceived risk to consumers for all five species. Lifetime cancer risk (CR) of As was negligible for all species. At the rate of bushmeat consumption in sub-Saharan Africa (0.104kg per day), the cane rat was the only species considered safe for daily consumption among the five species.

Malaria prevalence and forest cover change in Kenya: a geospatial analysis

In Uganda, the growing importance of rice as a major source of food and income was boosted by the introduction of high-yielding and stress-tolerant “New Rice for Africa” (NERICA) upland rice in 2002. My research, which was informed by interviews with smallholder farmers who have become part of the recent surge in NERICA production in Hoima district, demonstrates that NERICA offers an effective entry point into more commercially oriented modes of production for many women farmers. It also shows that the effects of this new income on a married woman’s well-being depend on her success in bargaining with her husband for the share of the proceeds. While sub-Saharan Africa does not stand out in the history of rice, the future trajectory of rice will, to a much greater extent, be an African one. A careful analysis of the way the proceeds from NERICA are shared within grower households can shed light both on the dynamics that surround its adoption, and on its impact on the well-being of individuals.

Acceptability of Bush Meat as a Source of Animal Protein in Delta State, Nigeria: Implication for Extension Services

Leptospirosis is the most widespread zoonosis in the world. In northern Botswana, humans live in close proximity to a diversity of wildlife and peridomestic rodents and may be exposed to a variety of zoonotic pathogens. Little is known regarding the occurrence and epidemiology of L.interrogans in Africa despite the recognized global importance of this zoonotic disease and the threat it poses to public health. In Botswana, banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) live in close proximity to humans across protected and unprotected landscapes and may be a useful sentinel species for assessing the occurrence of zoonotic organisms, such as L.interrogans. We utilized PCR to screen banded mongoose kidneys for leptospiral DNA and identified 41.5% prevalence of renal carriage of L.interrogans (exact binomial 95% CI 27.7-56.7%, n=41). Renal carriage was also detected in one Selous' mongoose (Paracynictis selousi). This is the first published confirmation of carriage of L.interrogans in either species. This is also the first report of L.interrogans occurrence in northern Botswana and the only report of this organism in a wildlife host in the country. Pathogenic Leptospira are usually transmitted indirectly to humans through soil or water contaminated with infected urine. Other avenues, such as direct contact between humans and wildlife, as well as consumption of mongooses and other wildlife as bushmeat, may pose additional exposure risk and must be considered in public health management of this newly identified zoonotic disease threat. There is a critical need to characterize host species involvement and pathogen transmission dynamics, including human-wildlife interactions that may increase human exposure potential and infection risk. We recommend that public health strategy be modified to include sensitization of medical practitioners to the presence of L.interrogans in the region, the potential for human infection, and implementation of clinical screening. This study illustrates the need for increased focus on neglected zoonotic diseases as they present an important threat to public health.

Adolescent alcohol and drug use (ADU) is a significant public health challenge. Uganda, one of the poorest countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), has the second-highest rate of per capita alcohol consumption in SSA, and over one-third of Ugandan adolescents have used alcohol in their lifetime (over 50% of them engage in heavy episodic drinking). These estimates further increase in fishing villages, a key HIV-vulnerable population, where ADU is normative. However, few studies have assessed ADU among adolescents and youths living with HIV despite their increased risk for ADU and its impact on engagement in HIV care. Moreover, data on risk and resilience factors for ADU are scarce as only few studies evaluating ADU interventions in SSA have reported positive outcomes. The majority have been implemented in school settings, potentially excluding adolescents in fishing communities with high school dropout rates, and none have targeted risk factors including poverty and mental health, which are rampant among adolescents and youths living with HIV and their families, undermine their coping skills and resources, and have been associated with increased risk for ADU among them. We propose a mixed methods study with a sample of 200 adolescents and youths living with HIV (aged 18-24 years) seen at 6 HIV clinics in southwestern Uganda's fishing communities to (1) examine the prevalence and consequences of ADU and identify the multilevel risk and resilience factors associated with ADU among them and (2) explore the feasibility and short-term effects of an economic empowerment intervention on ADU among them. This study comprises four components: (1) focus group discussions (FGDs) with adolescents and youths living with HIV (n=20) and in-depth qualitative interviews with health providers (n=10) from 2 randomly selected clinics; (2) a cross-sectional survey with 200 adolescents and youths living with HIV; (3) a randomized controlled trial with a subgroup of adolescents and youths living with HIV (n=100); and (4) 2 postintervention FGD with adolescents and youths living with HIV (n=10 per group). Participant recruitment for the first qualitative phase has completed. As of May 4, 2023, ten health providers from 6 clinics have been recruited, provided written consent to participate, and participated in in-depth qualitative interviews. Two FGDs was conducted with 20 adolescents and youths living with HIV from 2 clinics. Data transcription, translation, and analysis of qualitative data has commenced. The cross-sectional survey will commence shortly after and dissemination of the main study findings is targeted for 2024. Our findings will advance our understanding of ADU among adolescents and youths living with HIV and inform the design of future interventions to address ADU among them. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05597865; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05597865. PRR1-10.2196/46486.

Madagascar is a hotspot of biodiversity, but poverty and population growth provoke a high risk of conflict between food security and biodiversity conservation in this tropical country. Numerous vector-borne diseases, including viral infections, affect public health in Madagascar and a continuous expansion of anthropogenically used areas intensifies contact on the human-wildlife interface. However, data on human and animal pathogens in potential insect vectors is limited. Therefore, we conducted a parasitological and virological survey of 785 adult female mosquitoes between March and May 2016 at the Ankarafantsika National Park in northwestern Madagascar. Screening included Alpha-, Phlebo-, and Flaviviridae and the recently described filarial nematode species, Lemurfilaria lemuris. The predominant mosquito genus was Culex (91%), followed by Mansonia (4.1%), Anopheles (3.4%), and Aedes (0.9%). Viral screening revealed no arboviruses, but an insect-specific flavivirus in two Culex sitiens pools. No pools screened positive for the lemur-specific filarial nematode L. lemuris.

The consistent and correct use of the male condom makes it highly effective in both disease prevention and as a contraceptive method. However, it is also well recognized that its use is under men's control. Because of this vital limitation, there have been frequent calls for female-controlled methods of HIV prevention, particularly from women from sub-Saharan Africa. Here we report on data collected in focus-group discussions (FGDs) with women aged 17-54 in South-Western Uganda. A total of 138 women, from rural villages, urban family planning clinics and a truck-stop town, were recruited to participate in 18 FGDs on the male condom, the female condom and existing formulations of vaginal microbicidal products. Three themes emerged: (i) problems with men's control over the male condom, (ii) the importance of control over and secrecy about protective measures and (iii) sexual pleasure associated with different methods. We found that the female condom, while being perceived as an improvement over the male condom, was recognized as having limited value because of the need to agree its use prior to sex taking place. Other products were considered to be significantly better than the female condom; the sponge, in particular, was perceived as having advantages over every other product. Women like the fact that it could be inserted some time before, and left in place some time after, sexual intercourse, that it was effective for multiple instances of intercourse, and that men would be unaware that it was being employed. Female-controlled methods to prevent sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and to increase reproductive choice, hold the promise of ceding some control over sexual and reproductive health to women.

Geographic biases in cane rat (Thryonomyds) research may impede broader wildlife utilization and conservation in Africa: A systematic review

Bushmeat use is widespread but under-researched in rural communities of South Africa

Wildlife species have played a central role in the emergence, re-emergence and maintenance of major zoonotic diseases that pose serious threats to public health worldwide. These zoonoses are associated with high morbidity and mortality. The human immunodeficiency virus alone infects 33.3 million people worldwide, causing 1.8 million deaths and 1.9 million new cases in sub-Saharan Africa yearly. Human-wildlife contacts that result in zoonotic disease transmission include; the consumption of bushmeat, live wildlife trade, hunting and visits to game reserves. Despite the benefits derived from wildlife by several nations especially in the provision of animal protein requirements and the development of national economies, these contacts expose the public globally to the risk of zoonoses from wildlife reservoirs. Tackling these problems requires educating the public of the risk of zoonoses and the possible ways of contracting them from wildlife, vaccination of humans and wildlife against vaccinable zoonoses, wildlife disease surveillance, veterinary inspection of bushmeat before consumption, enforcement of regulations relating to wildlife disease management, fertility control and culling. Stake holders in the areas of public and animal health at local, national and international levels as well as non-governmental organizations should support in the funding of wildlife disease management programmes so as to curtail this menace.