Conference abstract
Seroprevalence of Rift Valley fever and associated factors in cattle and small ruminants in Cameroon: NIH-ARBOCAM study
Pan African Medical Journal - Conference Proceedings. 2023:18(177).03
Oct 2023.
doi: 10.11604/pamj-cp.2023.18.177.2295
Archived on: 03 Oct 2023
Contact the corresponding author
Keywords: RVF, livestock, seroprevalence, risk factors, Cameroon
Oral presentation
Seroprevalence of Rift Valley fever and associated factors in cattle and small ruminants in Cameroon: NIH-ARBOCAM study
Paul Alain Tagnouokam-Ngoupo1,&, Jules Brice Tchatchueng-Mbougua1, Delia Doreen Djuicy1, Gael Essima1, Martial Yonga1, Christian Nsangou1, Gisèle Machuetum1, Rodrigue Poueme2, Basile Kamgang3, Ahmadou Alkaissou4, Ronald Perraut5, Anavaj Sakuntabhai6, Richard Njouom1
1Centre Pasteur of Cameroon, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 2Laboratoire National Vétérinaire, Garoua, Cameroon, 3Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 4Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 5Centre Pasteur of Cameroon annexe Garoua, Garoua, Cameroon, 6Institut Pasteur Japan, Tokyo, Japan
&Corresponding author
Introduction: Rift Valley fever is a zoonotic disease caused by RVF virus (RVFV) and transmitted primarily by mosquitoes. RVF disease is known to cause severe outbreaks with high mortality and morbidity in humans and livestock. The objective was to access the seroprevalence of RVF and associated factors in cattle and small ruminants (sheep and goats) in two regions of Cameroon.
Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional study in the North and Centre Regions of Cameroon. Blood samples were collected from cattle, sheep, and goats at markets, farms, and slaughterhouses (570 and 798 samples in the Centre and North regions respectively). Serum was analyzed using a commercial ELISA test to detect RVFV IgG. Data were statistically analyzed using R software version 4.1. Results were significant for p-value ≤ 0.05.
Results: of the 1368 samples collected, 143 (10.5%) were positive for RVFV IgG with no difference between the two regions (11.2% and 10% in the central and northern regions, respectively (p=0.333)). The highest seroprevalence was observed in cattle (20.4%) compared to goats (3%) and sheep (2.9%) (p>0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that cattle aged 1-3 years old or 4 years and above ((ORa = 2.84 (95% CI: 0.61-.13.28); (ORa = 4.82 (95% CI: 1.10–21.11) respectively) and collected from the markets or slaughterhouses (ORa = 1.37 (95% CI: 0.80–2.33) were significantly associated with RVFV seroprevalence.
Conclusion: this study confirmed the circulation of RVFV in livestock in Cameroon. The highest seroprevalence found in cattle and older animals at markets or slaughterhouses could be the result of cumulative exposure to mosquito bites over time. RVFV is likely endemic in Cameroon, although no clinical case has been reported. Further studies on RVFV are needed in humans with close contact with livestock.
Seroprevalence of Rift Valley fever and associated factors in cattle and small ruminants in Cameroon: NIH-ARBOCAM study
Paul Alain Tagnouokam-Ngoupo1,&, Jules Brice Tchatchueng-Mbougua1, Delia Doreen Djuicy1, Gael Essima1, Martial Yonga1, Christian Nsangou1, Gisèle Machuetum1, Rodrigue Poueme2, Basile Kamgang3, Ahmadou Alkaissou4, Ronald Perraut5, Anavaj Sakuntabhai6, Richard Njouom1
1Centre Pasteur of Cameroon, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 2Laboratoire National Vétérinaire, Garoua, Cameroon, 3Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 4Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 5Centre Pasteur of Cameroon annexe Garoua, Garoua, Cameroon, 6Institut Pasteur Japan, Tokyo, Japan
&Corresponding author
Introduction: Rift Valley fever is a zoonotic disease caused by RVF virus (RVFV) and transmitted primarily by mosquitoes. RVF disease is known to cause severe outbreaks with high mortality and morbidity in humans and livestock. The objective was to access the seroprevalence of RVF and associated factors in cattle and small ruminants (sheep and goats) in two regions of Cameroon.
Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional study in the North and Centre Regions of Cameroon. Blood samples were collected from cattle, sheep, and goats at markets, farms, and slaughterhouses (570 and 798 samples in the Centre and North regions respectively). Serum was analyzed using a commercial ELISA test to detect RVFV IgG. Data were statistically analyzed using R software version 4.1. Results were significant for p-value ≤ 0.05.
Results: of the 1368 samples collected, 143 (10.5%) were positive for RVFV IgG with no difference between the two regions (11.2% and 10% in the central and northern regions, respectively (p=0.333)). The highest seroprevalence was observed in cattle (20.4%) compared to goats (3%) and sheep (2.9%) (p>0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that cattle aged 1-3 years old or 4 years and above ((ORa = 2.84 (95% CI: 0.61-.13.28); (ORa = 4.82 (95% CI: 1.10–21.11) respectively) and collected from the markets or slaughterhouses (ORa = 1.37 (95% CI: 0.80–2.33) were significantly associated with RVFV seroprevalence.
Conclusion: this study confirmed the circulation of RVFV in livestock in Cameroon. The highest seroprevalence found in cattle and older animals at markets or slaughterhouses could be the result of cumulative exposure to mosquito bites over time. RVFV is likely endemic in Cameroon, although no clinical case has been reported. Further studies on RVFV are needed in humans with close contact with livestock.
