Abstract
Simple SummaryAn abattoir based surveillance system was implemented in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to determine the prevalence of two diseases that can spread between animals and humans: Brucellosis and Q fever. A total of 683 cattle and buffalo samples were collected from abattoirs in six selected provinces between March–December 2019. Laboratory diagnostic tests to detect antibodies against both diseases were performed and the number of animals that tested positive for either disease was relatively low. However, extensive animal movement within the country was also identified, which has the potential to increase the risk of spreading disease within and between countries. Monitoring of high impact animal/human diseases assists pathogen surveillance and the country’s food security. This study highlights the importance of ongoing animal health surveillance and the need to find cost-effective approaches for its long-term sustainability.Although animal health surveillance programmes are useful for gaining information to help improve global health and food security, these programmes can be challenging to establish in developing economies with a low-resource base. This study focused on establishing a national surveillance system initiated by the Lao PDR government using a passive surveillance system of abattoir samples as a pilot model, and to gain information on contagious zoonoses, particularly Q fever and brucellosis, in the large ruminant population. A total of 683 cattle and buffalo samples were collected from six selected provinces of Lao PDR between March–December 2019. Out of 271 samples tested, six samples (2.2%, 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.0, 4.8) were positive in the Q fever antibody ELISA test. Only one sample (out of 683; 0.2%, 95% CI 0.0, 0.8) tested positive to the Brucella antibody ELISA test. Seroprevalence of these important zoonoses in Lao PDR were relatively low in cattle and buffaloes; however, extensive animal movement within the country was identified which could increase risks of spreading transboundary diseases. The study highlights the importance of ongoing animal health surveillance and the need to find cost-effective approaches for its long-term sustainability.
Highlights
The animal health services of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) are predominantly delivered by the Department of Livestock and Fisheries (DLF) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests (MAFF)
The surveillance program was conducted in six provinces representing central, northern and southern regions of Lao PDR, namely Luangnamtha (LNT), Luangprabang (LPB), Oudomxay (ODX), Savannakhet (SVK) and Champasak (CPS), and Xiengkhouang (XK; central) (Figure 1)
Animal data including place of origin, age, body score (1–5), vaccination and health statuses were recorded in the sample collection form
Summary
The animal health services of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) are predominantly delivered by the Department of Livestock and Fisheries (DLF) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests (MAFF). In this role, DLF is responsible for meeting the national requirements for animal disease surveillance, for example as a member country of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), and a participating country in the OIE. With increased animal trade within ASEAN countries and with China, there is a need for baseline information on animal health status and more routine data on disease prevalence. Disease prevalence information has been an output of project activities supported by international agencies [1]
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