Anywaine Zacchaeus, Wright Daniel, Warimwe George M, Kaleebu Pontiano, Elliott Alison, Hansen Christian
Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda.
Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
BMJ Public Health. 2025 Jul 31;3(2):e002563. doi: 10.1136/bmjph-2025-002563. eCollection 2025.
Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an epidemic-prone zoonotic disease whose distribution of exposure is poorly described in endemic communities. We investigated the seroprevalence and risk factors for RVF among humans in Uganda's cattle corridor.
This cross-sectional study used data and stored plasma specimens collected by the Uganda population-based HIV impact assessment (UPHIA) survey 2016/2017. Participants were sampled from 35 districts of the cattle corridor. Ethical and regulatory approvals were obtained to use the UPHIA data and to test the specimens for the presence of RVF anti-Gn glycoprotein immunoglobulin G (anti-Gn IgG) antibodies using an enzyme linked immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). RVF seroprevalence was calculated in Stata with household as the random intercept, and associations between potential determinants and RVF seropositivity were assessed using mixed effects logistic regression analysis.
Overall, 267 households comprising 1319 individuals were included in the analysis. Over half (56.3%) of the participants were female, median age 22 (IQR 11-34) years. Most (84.2%) were rural and owned cattle (41.2%), sheep/goats (51.7%) and poultry (65%). The overall RVF seroprevalence was 10.24%, 95% CI 8.63% to 12.10%. RVF seropositivity was associated with advanced age (25-44 years adjusted OR 2.79 (95% CI 1.81 to 4.32); and 45-64 years (3.0 (95% CI 1.76 to 5.14)); ethnicity (Iteso 2.54 (95% CI 1.15 to 5.62), Langi 2.61 (95% CI 1.20 to 5.66) and Karamojong 3.70 (95% CI 1.61 to 8.47)); owning cattle (1.59 (95% CI 1.03 to 2.45)) and owning poultry (1.73 (95% CI 1.05 to 2.87)).
RVF seropositivity is common among humans in Uganda's cattle corridor and the risk of exposure is mostly determined by increasing age, ethnicity, owning cattle and poultry. Future RVF seroprevalence and risk evaluation studies should include poultry as potential determinants of infection.
裂谷热（RVF）是一种易于流行的人畜共患病，在地方病流行社区中，其暴露分布情况描述不足。我们调查了乌干达牛走廊地区人群中裂谷热的血清阳性率及危险因素。
这项横断面研究使用了2016/2017年乌干达基于人群的艾滋病毒影响评估（UPHIA）调查收集的数据和储存的血浆样本。参与者从牛走廊的35个地区抽取。已获得伦理和监管批准，可使用UPHIA数据，并使用酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）检测样本中是否存在裂谷热抗Gn糖蛋白免疫球蛋白G（抗Gn IgG）抗体。在Stata软件中以家庭为随机截距计算裂谷热血清阳性率，并使用混合效应逻辑回归分析评估潜在决定因素与裂谷热血清阳性之间的关联。
总体而言，分析纳入了267户家庭，共1319人。超过一半（56.3%）的参与者为女性，年龄中位数为22岁（四分位间距11 - 34岁）。大多数（84.2%）为农村人口，拥有牛（41.2%）、绵羊/山羊（51.7%）和家禽（65%）。裂谷热总体血清阳性率为10.24%，95%置信区间为8.63%至12.10%。裂谷热血清阳性与年龄增长（25 - 44岁调整后的比值比为2.79（95%置信区间为1.81至4.32）；45 - 64岁为3.0（95%置信区间为1.76至5.14））、种族（伊泰索人2.54（95%置信区间为1.15至5.62），兰吉人2.61（95%置信区间为1.20至5.66），卡拉莫琼人3.70（95%置信区间为1.61至8.47））、拥有牛（1.59（95%置信区间为1.03至2.45））和拥有家禽（1.73（95%置信区间为1.05至2.87））有关。
在乌干达牛走廊地区的人群中，裂谷热血清阳性较为常见，暴露风险主要由年龄增长、种族、拥有牛和家禽决定。未来的裂谷热血清阳性率和风险评估研究应将家禽作为感染的潜在决定因素纳入。
