doi: 10.14202/IJOH.2024.91-99
Article history: Received: 12-11-2023, Accepted: 13-02-2024, Published online: 07-04-2024
Corresponding author: Daniel Pius Mdetele
E-mail: daniel.mdetele@sacids.org
Citation: Mdetele DP, Kagembe Q, Thomson J, Komba E, Seth M, Chengula A, Lipende E, Compton J, and Beckmann KM (2024) A simple, collaborative prioritization process for wildlife-associated zoonotic diseases in northern Tanzania, Int. J. One Health, 10(1): 91-99.Background and Aim: Zoonotic diseases are naturally transmissible infections between animals and humans. To address these cross-sectoral health issues holistic, transdisciplinary health approaches are required. The legalization of the game meat trade in Tanzania in 2020 has created a new value chain from wild habitats to registered game meat selling facilities in human settlements, thus creating new human–animal interfaces associated with potential risks of zoonotic disease transmission among wildlife, livestock, and human populations. This study aimed to apply a simple, collaborative prioritization process to identify important zoonotic pathogens associated with wild animal taxa harvested and traded for game meat consumption in northern Tanzania.
Materials and Methods: A prioritization process was conducted to identify and rank zoonotic diseases associated with wildlife in the Arusha, Kilimanjaro, and Manyara regions of northern Tanzania to help determine the zoonotic disease risks associated with the game meat value chain. Two districts from each region were selected for this study. The prioritization process was conducted through an expert workshop that involved 41 participants, including a District Veterinary Officer, Public Health Officer, and District Game Officer from each district, as well as national One Health focal persons, zonal Veterinary and Laboratory Officers, scientific researchers, and a representative from the national Game Meat Selling Advisory Committee.
Results: Experts identified 11 common zoonotic diseases reported in these regions, of which anthrax, rabies, brucellosis, Rift Valley fever, and bovine tuberculosis were considered the most important. This finding is broadly consistent with the national priority list for zoonotic diseases.
Conclusion: This approach was time-efficient and cost-effective. In Tanzania, multi-sectoral planning, communication, and cooperation among human health, domestic animal health, wildlife health, and environmental protection have been strengthened. In the future, we recommend regular exercises using such an approach to update the information on important diseases and promote information sharing for epidemic and pandemic preparedness associated with the wild animal trade.
Keywords: epidemic and pandemic, expert opinion, game meat, one health, wildlife, zoonoses.
This document is about a simple, collaborative prioritization process for wildlife-associated zoonotic diseases in northern Tanzania.
Zoonotic diseases are naturally transmissible infections between animals and humans, posing a significant threat to public health globally.
The legalization of the game meat trade in Tanzania has created new human-animal interfaces and potential risks of zoonotic disease transmission.
A prioritization process was conducted in northern Tanzania to identify and rank zoonotic diseases associated with wildlife, with anthrax, rabies, brucellosis, Rift Valley fever, and bovine tuberculosis considered the most important.
The transmission routes of these zoonotic diseases include bites, contact with saliva on bruised skin, ingestion of contaminated meat or milk, direct contact, inhalation, and ingestion through contaminated pasture or feeds.
The rates of morbidity and mortality due to these zoonotic diseases were generally low for most human and wildlife populations in the study districts.