Shorunke Folajimi O, Okolocha Emmanuel C, Kia Grace S, Usman Aishat, Akano Oluseyi, Awosanya Emmanuel J
Nigerian Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, Abuja, Nigeria.
Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
One Health Outlook. 2022 Mar 24;4(1):4. doi: 10.1186/s42522-022-00062-1.
Lagos State is the epicenter of COVID-19 in Nigeria, having the highest number of cases and death. Veterinary practitioners play an important role in public health and risk exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 while attending to animal patients and owners. We determined the prevalence of covid-19 among veterinary practitioners and their dog patients in Lagos, and the associated risk factors during the lockdown.
We administered questionnaires, reviewed clinical records and conducted serological test to determine the COVID-19 status of 112 veterinary practitioners and 154 dog patients and to assess the associated factors in nine veterinary clinics or hospitals between June to August 2020. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate analyses at 5% significant level.
The mean age of participants was 37.5±10.5 and 66 (58.9%) were male. COVID-19 cases among the veterinary practitioners and dogs were 29 (25.9%) and 3 (2%), respectively. Predictors of COVID-19 cases among veterinary practitioners were contact with a SARS-CoV-2 infected dog (AOR: 25.42; CI 4.73-136.66); being a veterinary doctor working during the lockdown (AOR: 6.11; CI 1.56-24.00) and not disinfecting examination table after attending to dogs (AOR: 12.43; CI 1.39-110.99).
Veterinary practitioners and dogs in Lagos were exposed to SARS-COV-2 virus during the COVID-19 lockdown. Contact with SARS-CoV-2 infected dogs, being a veterinary doctor working during the lockdown and not disinfecting examination tables after clinical examination were predictors of COVID-19 cases among veterinary practitioners in Lagos State. Strict Infection, Prevention and Control measures are recommended in veterinary practice.
拉各斯州是尼日利亚新冠疫情的中心，病例数和死亡人数最多。兽医从业者在公共卫生中发挥着重要作用，在诊治动物患者及其主人时，有接触导致新冠疫情的病毒——严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）的风险。我们确定了拉各斯州兽医从业者及其犬类患者中新冠病毒的感染率，以及封锁期间的相关风险因素。
2020年6月至8月期间，我们通过发放问卷、查阅临床记录和进行血清学检测，以确定112名兽医从业者和154只犬类患者的新冠病毒感染状况，并评估九家兽医诊所或医院的相关因素。数据采用描述性统计、双变量和多变量分析，显著性水平为5%。
参与者的平均年龄为37.5±10.5岁，男性66人（58.9%）。兽医从业者和犬类中的新冠病毒感染病例分别为29例（25.9%）和3例（2%）。兽医从业者中新冠病毒感染病例的预测因素包括接触感染SARS-CoV-2的犬类（比值比：AOR：25.42；置信区间CI：4.73-136.66）；在封锁期间工作的兽医（AOR：6.11；CI：1.56-24.00）以及诊治犬类后未对检查台进行消毒（AOR：12.43；CI：1.39-110.99）。
在新冠疫情封锁期间，拉各斯州的兽医从业者和犬类接触了SARS-CoV-2病毒。接触感染SARS-CoV-2的犬类、在封锁期间工作的兽医以及临床检查后未对检查台进行消毒是拉各斯州兽医从业者中新冠病毒感染病例的预测因素。建议在兽医实践中严格采取感染预防与控制措施。
