Livestock Movement Research Articles

Assessing the impact of structural modifications in the construction of surveillance network for Peste des petits ruminants disease in Nigeria: The role of backbone and sentinel nodes.

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious disease affecting mainly sheep and goats. Livestock movements contribute to the spread of the disease by introducing it to naive areas or exposing susceptible animals to it in infected regions. Because of its socio-economic impact, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) have set the goal to eradicate it by 2030, one of the key steps being the improvement of surveillance networks. The present study aimed to provide tools to identify areas that could serve as sentinel nodes, i.e. areas that may be rapidly infected at the onset of epidemics. Using data from a market survey conducted in Northern Nigeria, we reconstructed the small ruminants mobility network and simulated the diffusion of PPR virus through animal movement. From the analysis of simulation outcomes, we investigated which nodes could act as sentinel nodes under specific conditions for disease transmission. We considered several modified networks to get around the problem of data only being available for part of the overall network structure and to account for potential errors made during the field study. For each configuration, we simulated the spread of PPR using a stochastic Susceptible-Infectious (SI) model based on animal movements to assess the epidemics' extent and the presence of recurrent patterns to identify potential sentinel nodes. We extracted the backbone of the reference network and checked for the presence of sentinel nodes within it. We investigated how the origin (seed) of the epidemics could affect the propagation pattern by comparing and grouping seeds based on their respective transmission paths. Results showed that the isolated backbone contains 45% of sentinel nodes that remain stable or undergo only minor changes in 9 out of 11 configurations. On top of that, the characteristics of sentinel nodes identified in the backbone are not influenced by the severity of the disease. The H index, in-degree, and eigenvector are the most essential variables. This study provides an overview of the major axes of animal movements in Nigeria and the most vulnerable locations that should be prioritized for monitoring livestock diseases like PPR.

Meat, Livestock and the Colonial Project in 1830s and 1840s Australia: The Frontier, the City and the Colonial Imagination

From the 1820s, the settler occupation of Australia expanded rapidly, driven by the growth of sheep and cattle grazing. Like similar histories in other settler societies, this story is well-known and has begun to be told in ways that centre the active role played by these animals in both aiding and resisting this colonising project. Yet the ways in which this frontier expansion related back to colonial cities is less widely recognised; pastoral expansion relied on settler cities, and limited export markets meant that beef and mutton glutted the markets in colonial cities. This article reveals how the movement of cattle and sheep (living, slaughtered and imagined) linked the pastoral frontier of New South Wales (the oldest Australian colony) to Sydney (the major city of the colony) and then to Britain. Exploring the movement (physical and imagined) of meat and livestock reveals the extent of the impact of settler pastoralism in new ways.

DIGITALIZATION OF EPIZOOTIC SITUATION MONITORING AND FOOD SAFETY CONTROL

In recent years, digital innovations have become widespread in the agro-industrial complex and in the agricultural business. The conversion of veterinary documentation, the system of animal registration and food safety control into digital format is an urgent task for the veterinary medicine of Kazakhstan. The introduction of digital technologies is necessary to process huge amounts of valuable information that remain unused in the control of the epizootic situation and food safety. Veterinary documentation is still kept on paper, which takes a lot of time. Manual entry of primary information creates numerous errors and inaccuracies and negatively affects the completeness of the information, making it impossible to keep operational statistics when monitoring the epizootic situation.The purpose of this work is to develop a digital platform with a mobile application that allows you to automate the processes of generating and transferring information about animals to the ILI database (Identification of Farm Animals), free practical veterinary workers from the shaft of paperwork, and raise work to control the epizootic situation to a qualitatively new level. and safety of livestock products, promptly monitor the movement of livestock across the country, especially from the vaccination zone to clean zones.The materials of the study are legal documentation, statistical indicators of animal husbandry in the Akkol district of the Akmola region, operational veterinary reporting. The research methods were based on the generalization of information obtained as a result of a comparative analysis of the time spent using the developed mobile application and the current system for identifying farm animals during veterinary activities.A digital platform has been developed - a mobile application "Mal Derek", which ensures the quality and reliability of primary material entered into the veterinary database automatically and in digital format. The author's certificate for this computer program has been received. Work was carried out to test the functionality of the mobile application "Mal Derek" in the Akkol district of the Akmola region with the participation of veterinary specialists. Automating the process of transferring information about animals from local veterinary specialists to veterinary laboratories, to the laboratory of veterinary and sanitary examination of markets and trade organizations, to enterprises for the processing of animal products, as well as to the central database, opens up new possibilities for solving the problem of ensuring the safety of animal products.

Brucellosis Seroprevalence in Cattle in China During 2014–2024: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Brucellosis, caused by several species of Brucella, continues to be a significant illness that poses a global threat to public health. China remains a persistent hotspot for brucellosis, despite the implementation of extensive control measures. This study aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the seroprevalence of bovine brucellosis in different breeds and regions of China from 2014-2024, and to provide predictions on the future prevalence patterns of brucellosis in cattle and humans. The analysis comprised a total of 80 research studies, which consisted of 187 datasets and a combined sample size of 3,130,706. We estimated the overall pooled seroprevalence of bovine brucellosis in China to be 1.5% (95% CI: 0.6-2.6%). Subgroup analysis revealed that the seroprevalence in dairy cattle was 3.1%, surpassing the seroprevalence in beef cattle (1.3%) and yak (1.5%). Regions that had authorized vaccination programs exhibited higher seroprevalence (1.8%) compared to regions that did not have vaccination (0.5%). Notably, the study observed a simultaneous rise in both the prevalence of brucellosis in cattle and the number of human brucellosis cases. This suggests that high-quality routine surveillance of brucellosis in cattle will be essential for predicting and responding to cases in humans. Additionally, given the existing prevention and control measures, brucellosis will likely continue to be prevalent in both cattle and people. This systematic review will assist policymakers in adjusting animal surveillance and interregional livestock movement policies, ultimately contributing to the public safety goal of preventing brucellosis in humans by controlling it in animals.

Technical note: assessing GPS sensor accuracy using real-time kinematic device for livestock tracking.

The technical aspects of global positioning system (GPS) sensors have been improved substantially over the years, making them valuable and popular tools for livestock tracking. Using GPS sensors allows producers and researchers to locate grazing livestock, monitor their behavior and distribution, and gather referencing information about the health status of the animals and pastures. However, interpreting the behavior of grazing livestock, such as cattle, from GPS data can be difficult due to positioning inaccuracies. Without knowing the positioning accuracy range of GPS sensors, achieving high-level confidence in determining grazing densities and identifying abnormal livestock movement patterns is challenging. In this study, the positioning accuracy of 3 different types of commercial GPS sensors was assessed using a survey-grade real-time kinematics (RTK) device. We outlined the procedures and essential equations and compared the recorded locations from the GPS sensors with reference locations collected from the RTK device. The results demonstrated statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) in positioning accuracy between different types of GPS sensors. The circular error probable (CEP) at 95% probability levels (CEP95) of the 3 sensors ranged from 2.46 to 11.06 m. This accuracy varied among individual sensors within the same brand and across different brands, which underscores the importance of evaluating the positioning accuracy of GPS sensors in livestock tracking. This study provides significant insights for animal scientists, ecologists, and livestock producers engaged in GPS sensor-related research and practices.

Design of an Improved Model for Lumpy Skin Disease Prediction Using Graph Neural Networks and Multiple Modal Data Fusion

An effective Lumpy Skin Disease prediction system mitigates economic losses and ensures animal health. Conventional approaches always fall short in terms of spatial-temporal analytics, very oft coming from a single source of data samples. To this regard, this research addresses the limitations by proposing a holistically integrated approach that puts together advanced machine learning techniques with enhanced disease prediction and management. In this paper, we provide a new framework that integrates graph neural networks for the fusion of graph-structured data with multivariables, attention mechanism, and self-supervised learning into compact feature representations. First, graph convolutional neural networks are utilized for spatial-temporal analysis. GCNs use node features, for instance, epidemiological data, and edge features in the form of connectivity data to generate node embeddings that capture complex dynamics of disease spread. It improved the prediction accuracy by up to 85%, greatly improving the spatial understanding in LSD dynamics. It basically fuses satellite image data, weather data, and livestock movement records through a multiple modal data fusion approach based on multiple head attention networks according to these embeddings. This will result in an enriched feature space in which the attention weights give insights into the relative importance of each data modality. This step improved the prediction accuracy by a further 5%, making the total prediction accuracy to be at 90%. Further fine-tuning of the model is done using self-supervised learning techniques through contrastive learning: SimCLR. This pre-paid feature representations using a large data set with unlabeled historic records on animal health data and environmental data samples. It improves model performance by up to 10% when fine-tuning the representations using LSD-specific data, thereby reducing reliance on labeled data and significantly improving the robustness and scalability of the model. This resulted in an overall accuracy of 95% for the fusion model, attained from the combination of these state-of-the-art techniques. In view of such comprehensive and diversified feature space, it showed very high resilience to adversarial attacks. Veterinary applications, in particular, support interpretability through attention mechanisms and node embeddings. Therefore, this work offers an accurate, robust, and interpretable solution to predict and manage Lumpy Skin Disease, contributing seriously to the domain of veterinary epidemiology.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in Iraq.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is the most common tick-borne viral disease worldwide. Its incidence has increased rapidly in the Eastern Mediterranean countries and has been endemic in Iraq since it was first identified in 1979. To describe the sociodemographic, epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of CCHF patients in Iraq. This cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the national surveillance system of the Communicable Diseases Control Centre, Baghdad, Iraq, for the period 2021-2023. We included all confirmed cases and analysed the data using SPSS version 27. A total of 986 cases of CCHF were identified during the period, mean age 36 ± 15.4 years, male 58.9%. The majority of cases were reported in the southern provinces and during the summer months. Animal contact was reported by 52.8% and slaughtering by 45.7% of the patients. Bleeding from injection site was observed in 26.6% of the patients, while 24.8% had ecchymosis. Case fatality rate was 16.8%. The number of CCHF cases was very high during the study period. We recommend actions to intensify tick control in Iraq, including the control of slaughtering, movement of livestock in and out of Iraq, in addition to health promotion and health education activities especially among high-risk groups.

A multidisciplinary analysis of over 53,000 fascioliasis patients along the 1995–2019 countrywide spread in Vietnam defines a new epidemiological baseline for One Health approaches

Fascioliasis, only foodborne trematodiasis of worldwide distribution, is caused by Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica, liver flukes transmitted by freshwater snails. Southern and southeastern Asia is an emerging hot spot of F. gigantica, despite its hitherto less involvement in human infection. In Vietnam, increasing cases have been reported since 1995, whereas only sixteen throughout 1800–1994. A database was created to include epidemiological data of fascioliasis patients from the 63 Vietnam provinces throughout 1995–2019. Case profiles were based on serology, symptoms, eosinophilia, imaging techniques, stool egg finding, and post-specific-treatment recovery. Radio broadcasting about symptoms and costless diagnosis/treatment led patients to hospitals after symptom onset. Yearly case numbers were modelled and spatio-temporally analyzed. Missing data and confounders were assessed. The countrywide spread has no precedent. It started in the central coast, including 53,109 patients, mostly adults and females. Seasonality, linked to vegetable consumption, peaks in June, although the intensity of this peak differs according to relief/climatic zones. Incidence data and logistic regression curves are obtained for the first time in human fascioliasis. Fasciolid hybrids accompanying the spreading F. gigantica flukes, and climate change assessed by risk index correlations, are both ruled out as outbreak causes. Human-guided movements of livestock from an original area prove to be the way used by fasciolids and lymnaeid vectors to expand geographically. Radix viridis, a highly efficient transmitting and colonizing vector, played a decisive role in the spread. The use of irrigated crop fields, widely inhabited by R. viridis, for livestock grazing facilitated the transmission and spread of the disease. General physician awareness and diagnostic capacity improvement proved the successful impact of such knowledge transfer in facilitating and increasing patient infection detection. Information, education and communication to the public by radio broadcasting demonstrated to be very helpful. Fasciola gigantica is able to cause epidemic and endemic situations similar to F. hepatica. The magnitude of the human outbreak in Vietnam is a health wake-up call for southern and southeastern countries of Asia which present the highest human population densities with increasing food demands, uncontrolled livestock inter-country exchange, foreign import practices, and monsoon's increasing climate change impact.

Quantifying the effectiveness of brucellosis control strategies in northern China using a mechanistic and data-driven model

In recent years, with the frequent movement of livestock and related products on the Chinese mainland that have resulted in a rise in brucellosis cases in certain regions, the Chinese government has implemented “vaccination + culling” strategy to control the spread of brucellosis, but the epidemiological situation and the intensity of prevention and control measures vary from province to province, and much of the situation has not yet been reversed. Thus, it is crucial to understand and assess the combined effects of vaccination and culling on brucellosis transmission behind the data from multiple provinces and cities. In this paper, we combine an ordinary differential equation model and a deep neural network model to develop a hybrid model that not only characterizes the propagation mechanism of brucellosis, but also describes control strategies as time-varying parameters to track the dynamic evolution of brucellosis transmission under control measures with varying intensity. In addition, the real-time reproduction number is calculated and taken as an evaluation index. We then train and test the hybrid model using actual data from four provincial administrative regions in Northern China from 2010 to 2020. It is found that in Inner Mongolia, the sheep vaccination rate (θ(t)) and the culling rate of infected sheep (c(t)) have a weak effect on reducing the brucellosis transmission. In Gansu, the incomplete culling of infected sheep was the main reason for the increase in human brucellosis cases after the introduction of whole-flock vaccination in 2016. Culling and vaccination contributed to the decrease in human cases in both Xinjiang and Jilin. Prevention and control measures for human brucellosis are inadequate in Xinjiang. However, prevention and control measures for human brucellosis are inadequate, while indirect transmission of Brucella from the environment to humans and sheep poses a greater risk than direct contact with infected sheep in Jilin. The above analysis can provide theoretical foundation for decision-making on public health policies to control the pandemic.

The Anti-Open Grazing Policy and Farmers-Herders’ Conflicts in Benue State, Nigeria

This study examines anti-open grazing policy and farmers-herders’ conflicts in Benue State, in order to ascertain the extent, the law was able to ameliorate the persisted farmers-herders’ conflicts and restores peace in the state. The study was anchored on the theory of structural functionalism as its analytical compass of study. The study adopted documentary method of data collection, content analysis for analysing data generated through secondary sources. It revealed that the prohibition of movement of livestock on foot, prohibition of firearms and the establishment of ranches by anti-open grazing policy ameliorated farmers-herders’ conflicts in Benue State. We recommended amongst other things, that Benue State Government should partner with the Federal Government, security agencies and neighbouring states in the fight against killer herdsmen by introducing more stifling policies, programme and workshops capable of stimulating peace, love, tranquillity and respect for human life in the state.

Unveiling the threat: Balochistan's path to congo virus endemicity

Dear Madam, The detection of 16 cases of Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV) in the Balochistan province this year (1) and a 2020 study indicating a seroprevalence of 2.7% in humans and 36.2% in livestock in Pakistan, with Balochistan showing a significantly higher prevalence in the collected samples (2), has raised concerns about the region's susceptibility to becoming an endemic area for this tick-borne zoonotic disease. Balochistan's arid climate creates an ideal environment for Hyalomma Marginatum ticks to thrive, thereby increasing the risk of transmission. Rural areas, which constitute a significant proportion of Balochistan, are generally more affected due to livestock farming, which plays a significant role in Pakistan’s economy. However, urban areas in Pakistan experience higher infection rates during Eid-Ul-Adha when there is a large-scale animal trade, with increased incidence in high-risk groups, like butchers, veterinarians, and healthcare professionals. The region also encounters challenges due to the cross-border movement of livestock and infected individuals with neighbouring countries, like Afghanistan and Iran, where the virus is endemic (3). Another contributing factor to the endemicity of the virus is the perception of neglect, resulting in limited resources, inadequate vector control and healthcare infrastructure, and insufficient awareness and preventive measures (3), which create significant obstacles in the early detection and management of virus-borne diseases. A Bulgarian vaccine introduced in 1974 led to a decline in cases from 1974 to 1996, but there is insufficient statistical evidence to attribute this decline solely to the vaccine. Thus, there is no universally recognised vaccination available for the virus currently. However, researchers are working to create an effective vaccine (4). Currently, treatment for CCHFV involves supportive care and antivirals, like ribavirin. Although treatments-FDA-approved treatments in use, including steroids, convalescent serum, and specific immunoglobulins, it’s important to note that these treatments are experimental and require further evaluation of their efficacy and safety profile (5). The most effective approach to reducing the prevalence of CCHFV in Balochistan is through prevention methods, including raising awareness among high-risk groups, especially butchers who should wear appropriate protection, handle slaughter in designated areas, and ensure proper waste disposal (4). It is also crucial to discourage tourists from visiting areas where ticks are prevalent, and local law enforcement should limit the unrestricted movement of livestock. Additionally, programmes should be introduced to vaccinate animals against the virus, and suspected animals should be quarantined.

Duration of Immunity in Cattle to Lumpy Skin Disease Utilizing a Sheep Pox Vaccine.

The transmission of lumpy skin disease (LSD) occurs through ticks, mosquitoes, and flies. The most effective way to combat LSD is to conduct large-scale vaccination, covering the entire cattle population with safe and effective vaccines, while introducing restrictions on the movement of livestock. The first and only LSD cases that occurred in Armenia happened in 2015,and they were controlled with the use of a once yearly heterologous sheep pox vaccine for cattle in high-risk areas. We have previously reported on the safety and immunogenicity of this vaccine in cattle, but information on the duration of immunity is lacking. Our aim was to determine the duration of immunity to the LSD virus (LSDV) in cattle when utilizing a heterologous sheep pox vaccine. We have evaluated antibodies in cattle blood prior to and post-vaccination (1, 6, and 11 months). We have utilized an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to follow the development and waning of LSDV antibodies in vaccinated cattle in two age groups: 1) young unvaccinated cattle ≤12 months of age and 2) adult cattle that had previously been vaccinated. Our results were consistent with our previous study in Armenia, showing a high level of population immunity, 80.0-83.3%, in both age groups at 1 month, with a significant (p = 0.001) drop for young cattle at 6 months. Previously vaccinated adult cattle showed a longer duration of immunity at 11 months for this heterologous sheep pox vaccine. Based on these data, we advise that young cattle receive an additional booster vaccination 4-6 months after their first vaccination, and then yearly vaccinations in high-risk areas.

Provisioning urbanism: a comparative urban-rural zooarchaeology of ancient Southwest Asia

Historically, urban centres are seen as consumers that draw in labour and resources from their rural hinterlands. Zooarchaeological studies of key urban sites in Southwest Asia demonstrate the movement of livestock, but the region-wide application of these findings has not been tested and the logistics of urban provisioning remain poorly understood. Here, the authors analyse zooarchaeological data from 245 sites in the Levant and Mesopotamia to examine patterns of livestock production and consumption over a 5000-year period. They find that although preferences varied over time and space, urban sites consistently relied on rural satellites to overcome local limitations to support their large and diverse populations.

Spatial and temporal distribution of foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks in Algeria from 2014 to 2022.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), a major transboundary animal ailment in Algeria, is a serious economic burden on the livestock sector. This study aimed to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of FMD in Algeria and identifies the factors contributing to this phenomenon. Data on FMD cases occurring in Algeria from 2014 to 2022 were collected from various sources, including archives at the Ministry of Agriculture, peer-reviewed journal articles, conference proceedings, reference laboratory reports, and unpublished scientific reports. The data were compiled and analyzed using MS Office Excel® and SPSS® software. A total of 22,690 FMD cases and 1,141 outbreaks were reported in Algeria between 2014 and 2022. The apex of infections occurred in 2014 (34.5%), followed by an increase in the number of infections in 2019 and 2017. The prevalence of FMD extended to 91.6% of the districts of the country, particularly in the north (center) and eastern regions. Cows were the most affected, with 654 outbreaks and more than 3,665 cases. Although FMD affected all four regions, there was a statistically significant long-term decline in the incidence. These spatial and temporal trends underscore the robust disease control methodologies implemented by the Algerian government, such as the strategic immunization of livestock to fortify their viral resistance, stringent constraints on animal mobility, and enlightenment of farmers regarding the hazards associated with unrestricted livestock movement to effectively curb FMD dissemination.

Increased pastoralist livestock mobility is associated with large-scale rangeland restoration and soil carbon sequestration.

Abstract Semi-arid rangelands cover 40% of the earth's land surface, but their ecosystem services have declined due to, among other factors, increasingly sedentary livestock husbandry by pastoralists. Such degradation might be reversed by adopting frequent, large-scale livestock movements similar to those associated with traditional nomadic pastoralist habits but data to support this hypothesis is lacking. We report here the consequences of implementing a program to increase the mobility of livestock grazing across 2 million ha in northern Kenya from 2014-2021, as compared to conditions prior to the program, 2001-2013. Despite increased human populations and livestock numbers on the study area during the program, nearly 60% of 213 sampled locations experienced the single major grazing events per year intended by the grazing program in at least 6 out of 7 years, with accompanying rainfall-corrected increases in forage biomass and soil carbon sequestration. Locations where mobile grazing was less consistently applied experienced neither of these responses. We demonstrate that increasing mobility in grazing practices within large-scale pastoralist systems can be implemented to improve range condition and soils and consequently sequester substantial CO 2 in soil organic carbon.

A review of the biology, distribution, and management challenges posed by the invasive weed Ziziphus mauritianaL., with special reference to its invasion in Australia

AbstractZiziphus mauritiana is an economically detrimental and environmentally destructive plant in non‐native areas where it has escaped cultivation. It forms dense, impenetrable thickets that restrict the movement of livestock across the landscape and has the capacity to alter various ecological functions at the site of invasion, all of which contribute towards land degradation and the reduction of economic profitability. Although there are several management strategies implemented to control Z. mauritiana, it is clear that no single‐method approach will effectively control the species in the long‐term. Whilst chemical and mechanical methods appear to show promising results, they tend to be restricted to areas that are easily accessible and, even so, can be challenging and laborious to treat evenly across dense thicket areas. Several prospective biological control agents have been identified for Z. mauritiana, although further investigations are required to ascertain the host specificity, and to explore and identify their climatic and environmental suitability of host specific agents for release in non‐native regions. Ecological burning alone is not effective in controlling Z. mauritiana and will likely increase its emergence. As such, it could be adopted as part of an integrated management approach to assist other methods for long‐term control, but again the development of such an approach requires further investigation. To contribute towards the control of Z. mauritiana, this review explores its biology, distribution and management challenges whilst identifying areas of research that will assist in the long‐term and confident control of the species, with an emphasis on its invasion in Australia.

Human fascioliasis emergence in southern Asia: Complete nuclear rDNA spacer and mtDNA gene sequences prove Indian patient infection related to fluke hybridization in northeastern India and Bangladesh

Fascioliasis is a snail-borne zoonotic disease with impact on the development of human subjects and communities. It is caused by two liver-infecting fasciolid trematode species, the globally-distributed Fasciola hepatica and the Africa/Asia-restricted but more pathogenic, larger F. gigantica. Fasciola gigantica is the cause of endemicity in livestock throughout the warm lowlands from Pakistan to southeastern Asia since old times. Human fascioliasis is emerging in this region at present, with an increase of patient reports. Complete sequences of rDNA ITS-1 and ITS-2 spacers and mtDNA nad1 and cox1 genes were obtained from fasciolid eggs found in the endoscopic bile aspirate from a patient of Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India. Egg measurements, pronounced ITS heterozygosity, and pure F. gigantica mtDNA haplotypes demonstrate an infection by a recent F. gigantica-like hybrid. Sequence identities and similarities with the same DNA markers found in livestock from Bangladesh prove the human-infecting fasciolid to present identical ITSs and nad1 haplotypes and only one silent transversion in cox1 when compared to a widely-spread combined haplotype in animals. In northeastern India and Bangladesh, human fascioliasis emergence appears linked to increasing livestock prevalences due to: ruminant importation from other countries because of the increasing demand of rapidly growing human populations; numerous livestock movements, including transborder corridors, due to the uncontrolled small-scale household farming practices; and man-made introduction of F. hepatica with imported livestock into an area originally endemic for F. gigantica leading to frequent hybridization. Sequences, phylogenetic trees, and networks indicate that the origins of intermediate/hybrid fasciolids and factors underlying human infection risk differ in eastern and western South Asia. The emergence scenario in southern China and Vietnam resembles the aforementioned of northeastern India and Bangladesh, whereas in Pakistan it is linked to increasing monsoon rainfall within climate change combined with an impact of an extensive irrigation system. Past human-guided movements of pack animals along the western Grand Trunk Road and the eastern Tea-Horse Road explain the F. gigantica mtDNA results obtained. Physicians should be aware about these emerging scenarios, clinical pictures, diagnostic techniques and treatment. Government authorities must appropriately warn health professionals, ensure drug availability and improve livestock control.

Molecular Detection of Tick-Borne Pathogens in Kumasi: With a First Report of Zoonotic Pathogens in Abattoir Workers.

Tick-borne pathogens continue to infect humans and animals worldwide. By adapting to the movement of livestock, ticks facilitate the spread of these infectious pathogens. Humans in close contact with animals that could be amplifying hosts are especially at risk of being infected with tick-borne pathogens. This study involved the collection of dry blood spots (DBSs) to determine tick-borne pathogens occurring in slaughtered livestock and abattoir workers in Kumasi. This study employed the use of conventional PCR, RT-PCR, and Sanger sequencing to detect and identify the tick-borne pathogens. The resulting data was analysed using Stata version 13. A total of 175 DBSs were collected from goats (76), cattle (54), and sheep (45) in the Kumasi abattoir (130, 74.29%) and Akwatia Line slaughter slab (45, 25.71%). The pathogens identified were mostly bacterial including Anaplasma capra (9.71%), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (1.14%), and Rickettsia aeschlimannii (0.57.%). The only parasite identified was Theileria ovis (9.14%). A significant association was seen between A. capra (p < 0.001) infection and female sheep sampled from the Akwatia Line slaughter slab. Again, there was a significant association between T. ovis (p < 0.001) infections and female sheep from the Kumasi abattoir. From the human DBS (63) screened, the pathogens identified were all bacterial including Coxiella burnetii (1.89%), Rickettsia africae (1.89%), and R. aeschlimannii (1.89%). This study reports the first detection of R. aeschlimannii in livestock as well as the occurrence of the above-mentioned pathogens in humans in Ghana. Animals can serve as amplifying hosts for infectious pathogens; hence, there is an increased risk of infections among the abattoir workers. Continuous surveillance effort is essential, and abattoir workers need to protect themselves from tick bites and infectious tick-borne pathogens.

Transboundary Livestock Network in Africa: How Circulate Pathogens and Where to Act to Prevent the Epizootics Spread?

Objectives: Transboundary animal diseases (TADs) of domestic ruminants are closely linked to livestock movements, consequently, understanding these latter provides information on the pathogen's dissemination pathways. This descriptive study, using the mapping and network analysis (NA) method, aims to characterize the cross-border mobility network of domestic ruminants on the African continent, to understand how it works, to identify the main countries controlling livestock mobility, to deduct their relationships with other countries, and finally, to highlight the articulation points of the network at which actions should be taken to stop the epizootics spread. Methodology: This is a synthetic, descriptive study, whose results make it possible to place it within the framework of epidemiological surveillance with a continental scope, aiming to guide the efforts of the concerned authorities. Based on deep documentary research, a total of 483 transhumant and commercial cross-border movements were identified. These movements were mapped by the geographic information system (GIS) to reconstruct the network of international movements between countries. The most regular movements, numbering 190 and constituting a more stable exchange network over time, were subjected to processing by the NA method, to highlight different indicators that permit the characterization of the network. The results obtained were then compared with health data on the distribution of the five main notifiable animal diseases circulating in the African continent in addition to rinderpest. All analyses were conducted using “R” software. Results: The centrality indicators enabled the identification of the main central countries, including the most active and unavoidable ones that contribute to diseases spread in Africa. They also made it possible to quantify their importance in the influence of movement, while the global measurements and network cohesion parameters showed that the latter is vulnerable to the spread of epizootics. This study revealed a strong livestock exchange relationship between 25 African countries, extending from nations on the Atlantic Ocean coasts to those of the Indian Ocean ones, which were found to be the most vulnerable to the establishment of contagious diseases. Different communities of countries whose livestock movements appear to be very cohesive and which presage significant mutual contamination have been highlighted. Certain African countries have proven to be key points in the articulation of flows between different countries and different regions and contribute significantly to the dissemination of diseases between the different regions of the continent. Accordingly, key countries where actions should be taken to stop the epizootics spread were identified. Conclusion: The results allowed a better understanding of diseases diffusion pathways through livestock movements across Africa and highlighted the main movement focal points which represent a high-risk of diseases spread, as well as the capacity to influence their diffusion through the control of the animal’s movement or the deployment of prophylactic actions at their level.

Molecular identification of hemoparasites in ixodid ticks in Iran

A total of 386 ticks were processed in order to investigate the occurrence of selected tick transmitted pathogens (i.e., Theileria, Babesia, Hepatozoon and Cytauxzoon) in ixodid ticks in six provinces of Iran (East Azerbaijan, Gilan, Kermanshah, Khuzestan, Sistan & Baluchestan and Tehran). Ticks identified as Dermacentor marginatus, Hyalomma aegyptium, Hy. anatolicum, Hy. asiaticum, Hy. marginatum, Ixodes ricinus, Rhipicephalus annulatus and R. sanguineus sensu lato were collected from sheep and cattle. Conventional PCR and sequencing results revealed DNA of Theileria ovis in three R. sanguineus sensu lato pools and one D. marginatus pool from sheep in Kermanshah and East Azerbaijan, T. annulata in one Hy. asiaticum pool from cattle in Kermanshah, and He. canis in an individual female Hy. aegyptium in Kermanshah. Data herein indicate the role of R. sanguineus complex and D. marginatus in the epidemiology of ovine theileriosis in western and northwestern Iran. Potential role of Hyalomma aegyptium in the transmission of He. canis is discussed. Considering non-principled movement of livestock across the country and increasing reports about the resistance of ticks to common acaricides, test-and-treatment of infected livestock, vaccination of the livestock against endemic tick-borne pathogens, and the use of non-chemical tick management strategies are recommended.