A quantitative exploration of nomadic pastoralists’ knowledge and practices towards Rift Valley fever in Niger State, North-central Nigeria: The associated socio-cultural drivers

Rift Valley Fever (RVF) is a zoonotic disease whose outbreak results in heavy economic and public health burdens. In East Africa, RVF is mainly experienced in arid and semi-arid areas predominantly inhabited by the pastoralists. These areas experience sudden, dramatic epidemics of the disease at intervals of approximately 10 years, associated with widespread flooding and the resultant swarms of mosquitoes. Pastoralists’ indigenous knowledge and experience of RVF is critical for public health interventions targeting prevention and control of RVF. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional design combining both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. A total of 204 respondents participated in questionnaire survey and 15 key informants and 4 focus group discussions were interviewed and conducted respectively. In addition, secondary data mainly journal publications, books, policy documents and research reports from conferences and government departments were reviewed. Findings indicated that the Somali pastoralists possess immense knowledge of RVF including signs and symptoms, risk factors, and risk pathways associated with RVF. Ninety eight percent (98%) of respondents identified signs and symptoms such as bloody nose, diarrhea, foul smell and discharge of blood from the orifices which are consistent with RVF. Heavy rains and floods (85%) and sudden emergence of mosquito swarms (91%) were also cited as the major RVF risk factors while mosquito bites (85%), drinking raw milk and blood (78%) and contact with animal fluids during mobility, slaughter and obstetric procedures (77%) were mentioned as the RVF entry risk pathways. Despite this immense knowledge, the study found that the pastoralists did not translate the knowledge into safer health practices because of the deep-seated socio-cultural practices associated with pastoralist production system and religious beliefs. On top of these practices, food preparation and consumption practices such as drinking raw blood and milk and animal ritual sacrifices continue to account for most of the mortality and morbidity cases experienced in humans and animals during RVF outbreaks. This article concludes that pastoralists’ indigenous knowledge on RVF has implications on public health delivery approaches. Since the pastoralists’ knowledge on RVF was definitive, integrating the community into early warning systems through training on reporting mechanisms and empowering the nomads to use their mobile phone devices to report observable changes in their livestock and environment could prove very effective in providing information for timely mobilization of public health responses. Public health advocacy based on targeted and contextually appropriate health messaging and disseminated through popular communication channels in the community such as the religious leaders and local radio stations would also be needed to reverse the drivers of RVF occurrence in the study area.

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Seropositivity and associated intrinsic and extrinsic factors for Rift Valley fever virus occurrence in pastoral herds of Nigeria: A cross sectional survey

10.21203/rs.2.15982/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Nma Bida Alhaji ◽

Jibrin Aminu ◽

Mohammed Kabir Lawan ◽

Olutayo Olajide Babalobi ◽

Ibrahim Ghali-Mohammed ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Rift Valley ◽

Rift Valley Fever ◽

Ecological Factors ◽

Categorical Variables ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Valley Fever ◽

North Central ◽

Pastoral Cattle ◽

Cattle Herds

Abstract Background: Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a vector-borne emerging zoonotic disease of animals and humans, characterized by major socioeconomic losses to livestock farmers, with potential global public health threat. The study determined RVFV seroprevalence in cattle, as well as assessed pastoralists’ existing knowledge about the diseases, and factors that influence RVFV occurrence in pastoral cattle herds of Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in pastoral herds of North-central Nigeria from 2017 to 2018. Data collections were carried out using serology and questionnaire tools. Descriptive statistics, using frequencies and proportions, were used to analyze data obtained from the survey. Categorical variables were presented as proportions and their associations determined by Chi-square tests. Associations of risk factors were analyzed by univariable and multivariable logistic regressions analyses at 95% confidence level. Results: The overall IgM seropositivity of RVFV in pastoral cattle herds of North-central Nigeria was 5.6%. This was higher in nomadic cattle (7.4%) than agro-pastoral animals (3.8%). All animal demographic characteristics of age, sex and breeds were not significantly (p>0.05) associated with RVFV occurrence in pastoral herds. All the 403 pastoralists selected participated in the study, with the majorities of respondents being male, married and having formal education. Majority of the pastoralists had low knowledge levels about zoonotic RVFV infection. However, all identified socio-ecological factors significantly (p<0.05) influenced RVFV occurrence in pastoral cattle herds. Mosquitoes availability in cattle herds environment (OR=7.81; 95% CI: 4.85, 12.37), presence of rivers and streams at grazing fields (OR=10.80; 95% CI: 6.77, 17.34), high rainfall (OR=4.30; 95% CI: 2.74, 6.59), irrigated rice fields (OR=5.14; 95% CI: 3.21, 7.79) , bushy vegetation (OR=6.11; 95% CI: 3.96, 9.43), animal movement (OR=2.2; 95% CI: 1.45, 3.25), and seasons (OR=2.34; 95% CI: 1.55, 3.51) were more likely to influence RVFV occurrence in pastoral cattle herds. Conclusions: The results of this study illustrated recent circulation of RVFV in pastoral cattle herds of Nigeria and needs urgent interventions. Low levels of knowledge about RVF were also highlighted amongst surveyed pastoralists and identified socio-ecological factors significantly influenced RVFV occurrence in herds. Adequate knowledge about RVF epidemiology will assure food security and public health.

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