Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland.
University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2024 Aug 23;18(8):e0012392. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012392. eCollection 2024 Aug.
Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Q fever, and Rift Valley fever virus are two under-researched zoonotic pathogens in Ethiopia. Potential outbreaks of these diseases, in light of the high dependency of nomadic pastoralists on their livestock, poses a risk to both human and animal health in addition to risking the pastoralists livelihoods. Our study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and associated risk factors for Q fever and Rift Valley fever in pastoral communities in the Afar region of north-eastern Ethiopia.
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This cross-sectional study screened pastoralists (n = 323) and their livestock (n = 1377) for IgG antibodies to Coxiella burnetii and Rift Valley fever virus. A seroprevalence for Q fever of 25.0% (95%CI 18.6-32.6) was found in pastoralists and 34.3% (95%CI 27.9-41.3) in livestock overall; with 51.9% in goats (95%CI 44.9-58.8), 39.9% in sheep (95%CI 24.6-51.2), 16.3% in camels (95%CI 10.4-24.6) and 8.8% in cattle (95%CI 5.0-15.0). For Rift Valley fever the seroprevalence in pastoralists was 6.1% (95%CI 3.3-11.0) and 3.9% (95%CI 2.6-5.7) in livestock overall; cattle had the highest seroprevalence (8.3%, 95%CI 3.3-19.2), followed by goats (2.7%; 95%CI 1.4-5.1), sheep (2.5%; 95%CI 1.0-5.9) and camels (1.8%; 95%CI 0.4-6.9). Human Q fever seropositivity was found to be associated with goat abortions (OR = 2.11, 95%CI 1.18-3.78, p = 0.011), while Rift Valley fever seropositivity in livestock was found to be associated with cattle abortions (OR = 2.52, 95%CI 1.05-6.08, p = 0.039).
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This study provides evidence for a notable exposure to both Q fever and Rift Valley fever in pastoralists and livestock in Afar. The outbreak potential of these pathogens warrants ongoing integrated human and animal surveillance requiring close collaboration of the human and animal health sectors with community representatives following a One Health approach.
贝氏柯克斯体是 Q 热的病原体，裂谷热病毒是埃塞俄比亚研究不足的两种人畜共患病原体。鉴于游牧牧民高度依赖牲畜，如果这些疾病爆发，不仅会对人类和动物健康构成威胁，还会危及牧民的生计。我们的研究旨在确定东北埃塞俄比亚阿法尔地区游牧社区中 Q 热和裂谷热的血清流行率和相关危险因素。
方法/主要发现：本横断面研究筛查了 323 名牧民（n=323）及其 1377 头牲畜（n=1377）的柯克斯体和裂谷热病毒 IgG 抗体。牧民 Q 热血清阳性率为 25.0%（95%CI 18.6-32.6），牲畜总体为 34.3%（95%CI 27.9-41.3）；其中山羊为 51.9%（95%CI 44.9-58.8），绵羊为 39.9%（95%CI 24.6-51.2），骆驼为 16.3%（95%CI 10.4-24.6），牛为 8.8%（95%CI 5.0-15.0）。裂谷热在牧民中的血清阳性率为 6.1%（95%CI 3.3-11.0），牲畜总体为 3.9%（95%CI 2.6-5.7）；牛的血清阳性率最高（8.3%，95%CI 3.3-19.2），其次是山羊（2.7%，95%CI 1.4-5.1）、绵羊（2.5%，95%CI 1.0-5.9）和骆驼（1.8%，95%CI 0.4-6.9）。人类 Q 热血清阳性与山羊流产有关（OR=2.11，95%CI 1.18-3.78，p=0.011），而牲畜裂谷热血清阳性与牛流产有关（OR=2.52，95%CI 1.05-6.08，p=0.039）。
结论/意义：本研究为阿法尔地区牧民和牲畜中 Q 热和裂谷热的显著暴露提供了证据。这些病原体的爆发潜力需要进行持续的人畜综合监测，需要人类和动物卫生部门与社区代表密切合作，采用一种健康方法。
