Ifende Victoria Isioma, Weka Rebecca, Muwanika Vincent B, Gukut Matthew Y, Luka Pam D, Masembe Charles, Chenais Erika
College of Natural Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Veterinary Extension Services Department, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Nigeria.
Transbound Emerg Dis. 2025 Aug 28;2025:5582374. doi: 10.1155/tbed/5582374. eCollection 2025.
African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating disease of pigs that is endemic in Nigeria. Smallholder farmers have been implicated in driving disease spread, yet little is known about their perceptions about the disease and the role they play in the local epidemiology. Additionally, it remains inadequately documented how other smallholder pig value chain actors perceive and influence ASF spread. This study investigated the perceptions and practices of smallholder pig value chain actors concerning ASF by conducting 62 focus group discussions (FGDs) consisting of 516 participants. Participants included pig farmers and other value chain actors in separate interviews, purposively selected from pig-producing communities with previous laboratory confirmation of ASF. Participatory epidemiology (PE) tools were used to investigate perceptions of clinical signs, transmission routes, occurrence, and control, as well as practices relating to ASF. The most frequently reported clinical signs of ASF were inappetence and red skin/spots. Most frequently mentioned routes of spread were air and farm visits. Most of the other value chain actors, apart from farmers, believed that they had a responsibility for controlling ASF. Seasonal calendars from both participant categories indicated that peak occurrence of outbreaks coincided with the rainy season, when the animals are confined. Practices reported by both categories included sale of sick pigs and improper disposal of dead pigs and slaughter remains, which could facilitate ASF spread. Both participant categories showed limited knowledge of disease control. Our findings provide insights about the local epidemiology of ASF in the smallholder pig value chain in Nigeria, indicating the role of indirect transmission of ASF. The reported temporal patterns and the potential role of butchers and traders in ASF spread further show the importance of investigating the local disease context in different settings to be able to provide relevant advice for mitigation strategies.
非洲猪瘟（ASF）是一种在尼日利亚流行的猪类毁灭性疾病。小农养殖户被认为是导致疾病传播的因素之一，但对于他们对该疾病的认知以及在当地疾病传播过程中所扮演的角色却知之甚少。此外，关于其他小农养猪价值链参与者如何看待和影响非洲猪瘟传播的记录也不充分。本研究通过开展62场由516名参与者组成的焦点小组讨论（FGD），调查了小农养猪价值链参与者对非洲猪瘟的认知和做法。参与者包括养猪农户以及其他价值链参与者，他们分别接受访谈，是从之前有非洲猪瘟实验室确诊记录的生猪养殖社区中特意挑选出来的。采用参与性流行病学（PE）工具来调查对临床症状、传播途径、发病情况和防控措施的认知，以及与非洲猪瘟相关的做法。报告最多的非洲猪瘟临床症状是食欲不振和皮肤发红/出现斑点。最常提到的传播途径是空气传播和农场间的往来。除了农户之外，大多数其他价值链参与者认为他们有责任控制非洲猪瘟。两类参与者提供的季节日历表明，疫情爆发高峰期与雨季重合，此时动物被圈养。两类参与者报告的做法都包括出售病猪以及对病死猪和屠宰废弃物处理不当，这可能会助长非洲猪瘟的传播。两类参与者对疾病防控的了解都很有限。我们的研究结果为尼日利亚小农养猪价值链中非洲猪瘟的当地流行病学提供了见解，表明了非洲猪瘟间接传播的作用。报告的时间模式以及屠夫和贸易商在非洲猪瘟传播中的潜在作用进一步表明，在不同环境中调查当地疾病情况对于能够为缓解策略提供相关建议的重要性。
