Research on System Simulation Technology for Joint Prevention and Control of Environmental Assessment Based on C4ISRE

Abstract Background: Anthrax continues to be a disease of public health importance in Zimbabwe, with sporadic outbreaks reported annually in many parts of the country. A human anthrax outbreak occurred in wards 22 and 23 of Makoni District from mid-June 2013 to end of January 2014, following cattle deaths in the wards. Laboratory tests confirmed anthrax as the cause for the cattle deaths. This study aims to investigate the clinical characteristics, distribution of anthrax cases (places, person and time), risk factors for contracting the disease, environmental assessment, district preparedness and response, and outbreak prevention and control measures.Methods: We conducted an outbreak investigation using a mixed-methods design. A 1:1 case-control study was used to assess risk factors for contracting anthrax. The controls were frequency matched to cases by sex. Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Environmental assessment, district preparedness and response, and outbreak prevention and control measures were assessed using a checklist, observations, and key informant interviews. Multivariable unconditional logic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors associated with contracting anthrax.Results: We interviewed 37 of the 64 cases, along with 37 controls. All the cases had cutaneous anthrax, with the hand being the most common site of the eschar (43%). Most of the cases (89%) were managed according to the national guidelines. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that meat sourced from other villages [vs butchery, OR = 15.21, 95% CI (2.32-99.81)], skinning [OR = 4.32, 95% CI (1.25-14.94)], and belonging to religions that permit eating meat from cattle killed due to unknown causes or butchered after unobserved death [OR = 6.12, 95% CI (1.28-29.37)] were associated with contracting anthrax. The poor availability of resources in the district caused a delayed response to the outbreak.Conclusion: The described anthrax outbreak was caused due to contact with infected cattle meat. Although the outbreak was eventually controlled through cattle vaccination and health education and awareness campaigns, the response of the district office was initially delayed and insufficient. The district should strengthen its emergency preparedness and response capacity, revive zoonotic committees, conduct awareness campaigns and improve surveillance, especially during outbreak seasons.

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An investigation of an anthrax outbreak in Makoni District, Zimbabwe

10.21203/rs.2.21296/v3 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Richard Makurumidze ◽

Gombe Notion Tafara ◽

Magure Tapuwa ◽

Mufuta Tshimanga

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

High Risk ◽

Environmental Assessment ◽

Prevention And Control ◽

Multivariable Analysis ◽

Control Measures ◽

National Guidelines ◽

Awareness Campaigns ◽

Prevention And Control Measures ◽

And Control

Abstract Background: In Zimbabwe, anthrax continues to be a disease of public health importance with sporadic outbreaks reported in many parts of the country annually. A human anthrax outbreak occurred in Makoni District Ward 22 and 23 between June 2013 and February 2014. The human anthrax outbreak followed cattle deaths in the wards, which were laboratory confirmed to be due to anthrax. We report the clinical characteristics, distribution of anthrax cases (places, person and time), risk factors for contracting the disease, environmental assessment, district preparedness and response and outbreak prevention and control measures. Methods: We conducted an outbreak investigation with the design of a 1:1 case-control study. Cases and controls were frequency matched against sex. Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Environmental assessment, district preparedness and response and outbreak prevention and control measures were assessed using a checklist, observations and key informant interviews. Multivariable unconditional logic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors associated with contracting anthrax. Results: Of the 64 cases, 37 cases and 37 controls were interviewed. All the cases had cutaneous anthrax with the commonest site of eschar being the hand (43%). Most of the cases (89%) were managed according to the national guidelines. On multivariable analysis, source of meat from other villagers [vs butchery, OR = 15.21, 95% CI (2.32-99.81)], skinning [OR = 4.32, 95% CI (1.25-14.94)] and belonging to a religion which permits eating meat from cattle slaughtered due to unknown illness or butchered after an unobserved death [OR = 6.12, 95% CI (1.28-29.37)] were associated with contracting anthrax. The district was poorly resourced and delayed to respond to the outbreak. Conclusion: The described anthrax outbreak resulted from contact and consumption of infected cattle meat. The district office response was delayed and was not prepared to control the outbreak. However, the outbreak was eventually controlled through cattle vaccination; health education and awareness campaigns. The district should strengthen its emergency preparedness and response capacity, revive zoonotic committees, conduct awareness campaign during the high-risk period and improve the surveillance of anthrax during high-risk periods.

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An investigation of an anthrax outbreak in Makoni District Ward 22 and 23 in Zimbabwe

10.21203/rs.2.21296/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Richard Makurumidze ◽

Gombe Notion Tafara ◽

Magure Tapuwa ◽

Mufuta Tshimanga

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

High Risk ◽

Environmental Assessment ◽

Prevention And Control ◽

Control Measures ◽

Bivariate Analysis ◽

Awareness Campaigns ◽

Eating Meat ◽

Prevention And Control Measures ◽

And Control

Abstract Background : The first official clinical case of human anthrax case was made at Makoni District Medical Office on the 19 th of December 2013. This followed cattle deaths which were confirmed in the laboratory to be due to anthrax. We report the clinical characteristics, distribution of anthrax cases (place and time), risk factors for contracting the disease, environmental assessment, district preparedness and response and outbreak prevention and control measures. Methods: We conducted an outbreak investigation with the design of a 1:1 unmatched case-control study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Environmental assessment, district preparedness and response and outbreak prevention and control measures were assessed using checklists through observations and key informant interviews. Data were analyzed using Stata-16. Bivariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors for contracting anthrax. Results: Thirty-seven cases (37) and 37 controls were interviewed. All the cases had cutaneous anthrax with commonest site of eschar being the hand (43%). Most of the cases (89%) were managed according to national guidelines. Eating meat from a from a cattle slaughtered due unknown illness or died alone [OR = 7.00 , 95%CI(2.06-23.82], skinning [OR = 5.04, 95%CI(1.77-14.36)], cutting meat [OR = 5.32, 95%CI(1.91-14.77)], cooking meat [OR = 3.42, 95%CI(1.32-8.91.)], source of from other villagers [vs butchery, OR = 14.85, 95%CI(2.79-79.06)], cuts during cutting meat or skinning cattle [OR = 3.50, 95% CI(1.18-10.51)], belonging to a religion which permits eating meat from a from a cattle slaughtered due unknown illness or died alone [OR = 6.29, 95%CI(1.85-21.39)] were associated with contracting anthrax. Having heard of anthrax before was protective against contracting anthrax [OR = 0.35, 95%CI (0.13-0.93)]. The district was ill-equipped and delay to respond to the outbreak. Conclusion: The anthrax outbreak resulted from contact with and consumption of infected cattle meat. The district delayed and was not prepared to control the outbreak. However, the outbreak was controlled through cattle vaccination; health education and awareness campaigns. The district should strengthen its emergence preparedness and response capacity, revive zoonotic committees, conduct awareness campaign during the high-risk period and improve the surveillance of anthrax during high risk periods.

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An investigation of an anthrax outbreak in Makoni District, Zimbabwe

10.21203/rs.2.21296/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Richard Makurumidze ◽

Gombe Notion Tafara ◽

Magure Tapuwa ◽

Mufuta Tshimanga

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

High Risk ◽

Environmental Assessment ◽

Prevention And Control ◽

Multivariable Analysis ◽

Control Measures ◽

National Guidelines ◽

Awareness Campaigns ◽

Prevention And Control Measures ◽

And Control

Abstract Background: In Zimbabwe, anthrax continues to be a disease of public health importance with sporadic outbreaks reported in many parts of the country annually. A human anthrax outbreak occurred in Makoni District Ward 22 and 23 between June 2013 and February 2014. The human anthrax outbreak followed cattle deaths in the wards, which were laboratory confirmed to be due to anthrax. We report the clinical characteristics, distribution of anthrax cases (places, person and time), risk factors for contracting the disease, environmental assessment, district preparedness and response and outbreak prevention and control measures.Methods: We conducted an outbreak investigation with the design of a 1:1 case-control study. Cases and controls were frequency matched against sex. Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Environmental assessment, district preparedness and response and outbreak prevention and control measures were assessed using a checklist, observations and key informant interviews. Multivariable logic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors associated with contracting anthrax. Results: Of the 64 cases, 37 cases and 37 controls were interviewed. All the cases had cutaneous anthrax with the commonest site of eschar being the hand (43%). Most of the cases (89%) were managed according to national guidelines. On multivariable analysis, source of meat from other villagers [vs butchery, OR = 15.21, 95% CI (2.32-99.81)], skinning [OR = 4.32, 95% CI (1.25-14.94)] and belonging to a religion which permits eating meat from cattle slaughtered due to unknown illness or butchered after an unobserved death [OR = 6.12, 95% CI (1.28-29.37)] were associated with contracting anthrax. The district was poorly resourced and delayed to respond to the outbreak.Conclusion: The described anthrax outbreak resulted from contact and consumption of infected cattle meat. The district office response was delayed and was not prepared to control the outbreak. However, the outbreak was eventually controlled through cattle vaccination; health education and awareness campaigns. The district should strengthen its emergency preparedness and response capacity, revive zoonotic committees, conduct awareness campaign during the high-risk period and improve the surveillance of anthrax during high-risk periods.

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