Scientific Reports (Jul 2022)
Prospective cohort study reveals unexpected aetiologies of livestock abortion in northern Tanzania
- Kate M. Thomas,
- Tito Kibona,
- John R. Claxton,
- William A. de Glanville,
- Felix Lankester,
- Nelson Amani,
- Joram J. Buza,
- Ryan W. Carter,
- Gail E. Chapman,
- John A. Crump,
- Mark P. Dagleish,
- Jo E. B. Halliday,
- Clare M. Hamilton,
- Elisabeth A. Innes,
- Frank Katzer,
- Morag Livingstone,
- David Longbottom,
- Caroline Millins,
- Blandina T. Mmbaga,
- Victor Mosha,
- James Nyarobi,
- Obed M. Nyasebwa,
- George C. Russell,
- Paul N. Sanka,
- George Semango,
- Nick Wheelhouse,
- Brian J. Willett,
- Sarah Cleaveland,
- Kathryn J. Allan
Affiliations
- Kate M. Thomas
- Centre for International Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago
- Tito Kibona
- Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST)
- John R. Claxton
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow
- William A. de Glanville
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow
- Felix Lankester
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, Washington State University
- Nelson Amani
- Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute, Good Samaritan Foundation
- Joram J. Buza
- Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST)
- Ryan W. Carter
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow
- Gail E. Chapman
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow
- John A. Crump
- Centre for International Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago
- Mark P. Dagleish
- Moredun Research Institute
- Jo E. B. Halliday
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow
- Clare M. Hamilton
- Moredun Research Institute
- Elisabeth A. Innes
- Moredun Research Institute
- Frank Katzer
- Moredun Research Institute
- Morag Livingstone
- Moredun Research Institute
- David Longbottom
- Moredun Research Institute
- Caroline Millins
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow
- Blandina T. Mmbaga
- Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute, Good Samaritan Foundation
- Victor Mosha
- Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute, Good Samaritan Foundation
- James Nyarobi
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow
- Obed M. Nyasebwa
- Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Zonal Veterinary Centre-Arusha
- George C. Russell
- Moredun Research Institute
- Paul N. Sanka
- Tanzania Veterinary Laboratory Agency
- George Semango
- Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST)
- Nick Wheelhouse
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University
- Brian J. Willett
- Medical Research Council, University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research
- Sarah Cleaveland
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow
- Kathryn J. Allan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15517-8
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 12,
no. 1
pp. 1 – 16
Abstract
Abstract Livestock abortion is an important cause of productivity losses worldwide and many infectious causes of abortion are zoonotic pathogens that impact on human health. Little is known about the relative importance of infectious causes of livestock abortion in Africa, including in subsistence farming communities that are critically dependent on livestock for food, income, and wellbeing. We conducted a prospective cohort study of livestock abortion, supported by cross-sectional serosurveillance, to determine aetiologies of livestock abortions in livestock in Tanzania. This approach generated several important findings including detection of a Rift Valley fever virus outbreak in cattle; high prevalence of C. burnetii infection in livestock; and the first report of Neospora caninum, Toxoplasma gondii, and pestiviruses associated with livestock abortion in Tanzania. Our approach provides a model for abortion surveillance in resource-limited settings. Our findings add substantially to current knowledge in sub-Saharan Africa, providing important evidence from which to prioritise disease interventions.
