Africa Centre of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria.
Public Health and Epidemiology Department, Niger State Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Minna, Nigeria.
Trop Anim Health Prod. 2024 Sep 30;56(8):301. doi: 10.1007/s11250-024-04173-x.
Anthrax has re-emerged in domestic ruminants in Nigeria with public health concerns. This study assessed stakeholders' perceptions and preventive preparedness toward further resurgence and spread at the human-animal-environment interface. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Nigeria. Descriptive and analytical statistical analyses were performed at 95% confidence levels. All the 384 recruited stakeholders responded. The majority (96.2%) of animal health practitioners (AHPs) and 56.7% of pastoralists were aware of the recent anthrax re-emergence in Nigeria (p < 0.001). Noteworthy, 88.5% of the AHPs and 32.2% of pastoralists mentioned that anthrax has an environmental component in its transmission to humans and animals. From the environmental perspective, 87.7% of AHPs and 24.0% of pastoralists significantly perceived that soil and aerosol contamination with anthrax spores are highly plausible explanation routes for its re-emergence. Extreme weather events (high rainfall, flooding, winds, and drought) (p = 0.001); grazing of livestock on pastures grown on contaminated soil (p < 0.001), transboundary movement and trade of animals (p = 0.001); introduction of new animals into the herds without quarantine (p = 0.001); and bioterrorism (p < 0.001) were more likely to influence the re-emergence and spread of anthrax. To tackle gaps in knowledge and risk perceptions, and address the socio-economic and anthropogenic drivers, cooperation and collaborations through the lens of the One Health approach are needed. The partnership will promote an integrated disease surveillance system from planning to implementation for the realization of elimination or reduction of the burden of anthrax and other zoonoses in Nigeria and contribute to achieving food safety, food security, and public and ecosystem health.
炭疽在尼日利亚国内反刍动物中重新出现，引起了公共卫生关注。本研究评估了利益相关者对进一步死灰复燃和在人类-动物-环境界面传播的看法和预防准备。在尼日利亚进行了一项基于问卷的横断面研究。在 95%的置信水平下进行了描述性和分析性统计分析。所有招募的 384 名利益相关者都做出了回应。大多数（96.2%）动物健康从业者（AHPs）和 56.7%的牧民意识到尼日利亚最近炭疽病的再次爆发（p<0.001）。值得注意的是，88.5%的 AHPs 和 32.2%的牧民提到炭疽在传播给人类和动物时有环境因素。从环境角度来看，87.7%的 AHPs 和 24.0%的牧民认为土壤和空气传播炭疽孢子的气溶胶污染是其再次出现的高度可能的解释途径。极端天气事件（高降雨量、洪水、风和干旱）（p=0.001）；在受污染的土壤上放牧的牲畜（p<0.001）、动物的跨界移动和贸易（p=0.001）；将未经检疫的新动物引入畜群（p=0.001）；以及生物恐怖主义（p<0.001）更有可能影响炭疽的死灰复燃和传播。为了填补知识和风险认知方面的空白，并解决社会经济和人为驱动因素，需要通过同一健康方法的视角进行合作和协作。该伙伴关系将促进从规划到实施的综合疾病监测系统，以实现消除或减少尼日利亚炭疽病和其他人畜共患病的负担，并有助于实现食品安全、粮食安全以及公共和生态系统健康。
