Prevalence of colistin resistance and antibacterial resistance in commensal Escherichia coli from chickens: An assessment of the impact of regulatory intervention in South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health problem largely due to the overuse of antimicrobials. In recognition of this, the World Health Assembly in 2015 agreed on a global action plan to tackle AMR. Following the global emergence of the mcr-1-associated colistin resistance gene in the livestock industry in 2016, several countries including South Africa restricted the veterinary use of colistin as the gene threatens the clinical utility of the drug. This study is a follow-up to the restriction in place in order to evaluate the impact of such policy adoption. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of antibacterial resistance (ABR), and the mcr-1 colistin resistance gene in broiler chicken over a 2-year period, as a follow-up to the veterinary ban on colistin use in South Africa. METHODS: A total of 520 swab samples were obtained during 2019 (March-April) and 2020 (February-March), from healthy broiler chicken carcasses (n = 20) and chicken droppings in transport crates (n = 20) at various poultry abattoirs (N = 7) in the Gauteng province of South Africa. Escherichia coli organisms were isolated and subjected to a panel of 24 antibacterials using the MicroScan machine. Screening for mcr-1 colistin resistance gene was undertaken using PCR. RESULT: Four hundred and thirty-eight (438) E. coli strains were recovered and none demonstrated phenotypic resistance towards colistin, amikacin, carbapenems, tigecycline and piperacillin/tazobactam. The mcr-1 gene was not detected in any of the isolates tested. Resistances to the aminoglycosides (0%-9.8%) and fluoroquinolones (0%-18.9%) were generally low. Resistances to ampicillin (32%-39.3%) and trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole (30.6%-3.6%) were fairly high. A significant (p < 0.05) increase in cephalosporins and cephamycin resistance was noted in the year 2020 (February-March) when compared with the year 2019 (March-April). CONCLUSION: The absence of mcr-1 gene and colistin resistance suggests that mitigation strategies adopted were effective and clearly demonstrated the significance of regulatory interventions in reducing resistance to critical drugs. Despite the drawback in regulatory framework such as free farmers access to antimicrobials OTC and a dual registration system in place, there is a general decline in the prevalence of ABR when the present data are compared with the last national veterinary surveillance on AMR (SANVAD 2007). To further drive resistance down, mitigation strategies should focus on strengthening regulatory framework, the withdrawal of OTC dispensing of antimicrobials, capping volumes of antimicrobials, banning growth promoters and investing on routine surveillance/monitoring of AMR and antimicrobial consumption.

Antimicrobial resistance patterns of Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from dogs presented at a veterinary academic hospital in South Africa.

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae are opportunistic bacterial pathogens responsible for hospital-acquired infections in veterinary medicine. Infection with these bacteria always requires urgent antimicrobial therapy. However, there is no evidence of studies that have investigated the antimicrobial drug resistance profile of these organisms in a veterinary setting in South Africa. This study investigated the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns of A. baumannii and K. pneumoniae from clinical specimens obtained from dogs presented at a veterinary academic hospital. The findings of this study contribute to an improved understanding of the AMR profile of these bacteria in veterinary medicine. Materials and Methods: Retrospective data of clinical samples from dogs that were positive for A. baumannii and K. pneumoniae between 2007 and 2013 were used in this study. The antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates was determined using the disk diffusion method following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. The A. baumannii isolates were subjected to a panel of 20 antibiotics, while K. pneumoniae isolates were subjected to a panel of 22 antibiotics. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented using tables and figures. Results: Twenty (n = 20) A. baumannii isolates were isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage, foreign objects, bone, urine, skin, blood, ear, nasal, and oral cavity. Almost all A. baumannii (95%, 19/20) isolates were resistant to at least one antibiotic, and 60% (12/20) were multidrug-resistant (MDR). Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 56) was isolated from urine, foreign objects, abscesses, ears, eyes, tracheal aspirations, bronchoalveolar lavages, eyes, abdominal aspirates, anal glands, bones, and intestinal and lung biopsies. All K. pneumoniae (100%, 56/56) isolates were resistant to at least one antibiotic, and 98% (55/56) were MDR. Conclusion: Both A. baumannii and K. pneumoniae were isolated in various clinical tissue samples and exhibited a high prevalence of resistance to multiple antibiotics. In addition, these bacteria exhibited a high prevalence of resistance to ß-lactam compared to other classes of antibiotics, which is likely to impact treatment options and patient prognosis.

The molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius canine clinical isolates submitted to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory in South Africa.

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is an important cause of clinical infections in small-animal-veterinary medicine. Evolutionary changes of strains using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) have been observed among S. pseudintermedius in European countries and the United States. However, there are limited or no studies on the detection of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) and predominating MLST strains in South Africa. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the molecular epidemiology of S. pseudintermedius in South Africa. Twenty-six, non-duplicate, clinical isolates from dogs were obtained as convenience samples from four provinces in South Africa. The Kirby Bauer disk diffusion test was used to determine antimicrobial susceptibility. We used Resfinder and the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD) to detect antimicrobial resistance genes. Virulence genes were identified using the virulence factor database and Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLASTN) on Geneious prime. geoBURST analysis was used to study relationships between MLST. Finally, the maximum likelihood phylogeny was determined using Randomized Axelerated Maximum Likelihood (RAxML). Twenty-three isolates were confirmed as S. pseudintermedius of which 14 were MRSP. In addition to ß-lactam antimicrobials, MRSP isolates were resistant to tetracycline (85.7%), doxycycline (92.8%), kanamycin (92.8%), and gentamicin (85.7%). The isolates harbored antimicrobial resistance genes (tetM, ermB, drfG, cat, aac(6')-Ie-aph(2")-Ia, ant(6)-Ia, and aph(3')-III) and virulence genes (AdsA, geh, icaA, and lip). MLST analysis showed that ST2228, ST2229, ST2230, ST2231, ST2232, ST2318, ST2326 and ST2327 are unique sequence types in South Africa. Whereas, previously reported major STs including ST45, ST71, ST181, ST551 and ST496 were also detected. The geoBURST and phylogenetic analysis suggests that the isolates in South Africa are likely genetically related to isolates identified in other countries. Highly resistant MRSP strains (ST496, ST71, and ST45) were reported that could present challenges in the treatment of canine infections in South Africa. Hence, we have gained a better understanding of the epidemiology of MRSP in the African continent, the genes involved in resistance and virulence factors associated with these organisms.

Do Pathogenic Escherichia coli Isolated from Gallus gallus in South Africa Carry Co-Resistance Toward Colistin and Carbapenem Antimicrobials?

Colistin and carbapenems are critically important antimicrobials often used as a last resort to manage multidrug-resistant bacterial infections in humans. With limited alternatives, resistance to these antimicrobials is of concern as organisms could potentially spread horizontally rendering treatments ineffective. The aim of this study was to investigate co-resistance to colistin and carbapenems among Escherichia coli isolated from poultry in South Africa. Forty-six E. coli strains obtained from clinical cases of breeder and broiler chickens were used. In addition to other antibiotics, all the isolates were tested against colistin and carbapenems using broth microdilution. Multiplex polymerase chain reactions were used to investigate the presence of colistin (mcr-1 to 5) and carbapenem (blaOXA-48, blaNDM-1, and blaVIM) resistance genes. Isolates exhibiting colistin resistance (>2 µg/mL) underwent a whole-genome sequencing analysis. Resistance to colistin (10.9%) and cefepime (6.5%) was noted with all colistin-resistant strains harboring the mcr-1 gene. None of the E. coli isolates were resistant to carbapenems nor carried the other resistant genes (mcr-2 to 5, blaOXA-48, blaNDM-1, and blaVIM). The mcr-1-positive strains belonged to sequence types ST117 and ST156 and carried virulence genes ompA, aslA, fdeC, fimH, iroN, iutA, tsh, pic, ast A and set 1A/1B. In conclusion, clinical E. coli strains from chickens in this study possessed mobile resistance genes for colistin and several other clinically relevant antimicrobials but not carbapenems. Additionally, they belonged to sequence types in addition to carrying virulence factors often associated with human extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli infections. Thus, the potential risk of transmitting these strains to humans cannot be underestimated especially if sick birds are dispatched into the thriving poorly regulated Cornish hen industry. The need for routine veterinary surveillance and monitoring of antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial use and the importance of strengthening regulations guiding the informal poultry sector remains important.

Prevalence of Staphylococcus spp. from human specimens submitted to diagnostic laboratories in South Africa, 2012-2017.

Background: Although staphylococci are commensals of the skin and mucosa of humans and animals, they are also opportunistic pathogens. Some coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. (CoNS), such as S. haemolyticus and S. epidermidis, are reported to be zoonotic. Objectives: The prevalence of coagulase positive (CoPS), CoNS and coagulase-variable Staphylococcus spp. isolated from human clinical cases in South Africa was investigated. Method: Retrospective records of 404 217 diagnostic laboratory submissions from 2012 to 2017 were examined and analysed in terms of time, place and person. Results: Of the 32 different species identified, CoPS were the most frequently isolated (74.7%), followed by CoNS (18.9%). Just over half (51.2%) of the Staphylococcus isolates were from males, while females contributed 44.8%. Patients aged 0-4 years contributed the most (21.5%) isolates, with the highest number coming from KwaZulu-Natal (32.8%). Urinary specimens accounted for 29.8% of the isolates reported. There was no variation in the number of Staphylococcus isolates reported in the autumn (25.2%), winter (25.2%), spring (25.1%) and summer (24.5%) seasons. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the diversity of Staphylococcus spp. isolated from humans and the magnitude of infection, with the most predominant species being S. aureus and S. epidermidis. Contribution: Although most isolates were CoPS, the isolation of CoNS seen in this study suggests a need to improve infection control measures in a South African context. More research is needed to investigate the determinants of the observed variations in the study.

Hospital-acquired and zoonotic bacteria from a veterinary hospital and their associated antimicrobial-susceptibility profiles: A systematic review.

Background: Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are associated with increased mortality, morbidity, and an economic burden due to costs associated with extended hospital stays. Furthermore, most pathogens associated with HAIs in veterinary medicine are zoonotic. This study used published data to identify organisms associated with HAIs and zoonosis in veterinary medicine. Furthermore, the study also investigated the antimicrobial-susceptibility profile of these bacterial organisms. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Search terms and five electronic databases were used to identify studies published over 20 years (2000-2020). The risk of bias was assessed using the "Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology-Vet" (STROBE-Vet) checklist. Results: Out of the identified 628 papers, 27 met the inclusion criteria for this study. Most studies (63%, 17/27) included were either from small animal or companion animal clinics/hospitals, while 5% (4/27) were from large animal clinics/hospitals inclusive of bovine and equine hospitals. Hospital-acquired bacteria were reported from environmental surfaces (33%, 9/27), animal clinical cases (29.6%, 8/27), and fomites such as cell phones, clippers, stethoscopes, and computers (14.8%, 4/27). Staphylococcus spp. was the most (63%; 17/27) reported organism, followed by Escherichia coli (19%; 5/27), Enterococcus spp. (15%, 4/27), Salmonella spp. (15%; 4/27), Acinetobacter baumannii (15%, 4/27), Clostridioides difficile (4%, 1/27), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4%; 1/27). Multidrug-resistant (MDR) organisms were reported in 71% (12/17) of studies linked to Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP), Enterococcus spp., Salmonella Typhimurium, A. baumannii, and E. coli. The mecA gene was identified in both MRSA and MRSP, the blaCMY-2 gene in E. coli and Salmonella spp., and the vanA gene in E. faecium isolate. Six studies reported organisms from animals with similar clonal lineage to those reported in human isolates. Conclusion: Organisms associated with hospital-acquired infections and zoonosis have been reported from clinical cases, environmental surfaces, and items used during patient treatment and care. Staphylococcus species is the most reported organism in cases of HAIs and some isolates shared similar clonal lineage to those reported in humans. Some organisms associated with HAIs exhibit a high level of resistance and contain genes associated with antibiotic resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance and mcr-1 gene in Escherichia coli isolated from poultry samples submitted to a bacteriology laboratory in South Africa.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and recently mobilized colistin resistance (mcr-1) associated colistin resistance among Escherichia coli isolates have been attributed to the overuse of antimicrobials in livestock production. E. coli remains an important pathogen, often associated with mortality and low carcass weight in poultry medicine; therefore, the need to use antimicrobials is common. The study aimed to determine the AMR profile and presence of mcr-1 and mcr-2 genes in avian pathogenic E. coli from poultry samples tested at a bacteriology laboratory for routine diagnosis. This is a first step in understanding the effectiveness of mitigation strategies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty E. coli strains were assessed for resistance against ten antimicrobial drugs using broth microdilution. All isolates with a colistin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2 µg/mL were analyzed for the presence of mcr-1 and mcr-2 genes by employing the polymerase chain reaction. For each isolate, the following farm information was obtained: farm location, type of farm, and on-farm use of colistin. RESULTS: Sixty-eight percent of the strains were resistant to at least one antimicrobial; 44% were multiple drug-resistant (MDR). Most E. coli isolates were resistant to doxycycline (44%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (38%), ampicillin (32%), and enrofloxacin (32%). None of the E. coli strains was resistant to colistin sulfate (MIC90 of 2 µg/mL). Only one E. coli isolate held the mcr-1 gene; none carried the mcr-2 gene. CONCLUSION: Resistance among E. coli isolates in this study was fairly high. Resistance to commonly used antimicrobials was observed, such as doxycycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and enrofloxacin. Only a single E. coli strain carried the mcr-1 gene, suggesting that mcr-1 and mcr-2 genes are common among isolates in this study. The prevalence of AMR, however, suggests that farmers must implement standard biosecurity measures to reduce E. coli burden, and antimicrobial use to prolong the efficacy life span of some of these drugs.

Antimicrobial resistance patterns of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from canine clinical cases at a veterinary academic hospital in South Africa.

Although Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) can infect both animals and humans, there is a paucity of veterinary studies on antimicrobial resistance of P. aeruginosa in South Africa. Secondary data of canine clinical cases presented at the hospital from January 2007 to December 2013 was used. The following information was recorded: type of sample, the date of sampling and the antimicrobial susceptibility results. Frequencies, proportions and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated for all the categorical variables. In total, 155 P. aeruginosa isolates were identified and included in this study. All the isolates were resistant to at least one antimicrobial (AMR), while 92% were multi-drug resistant (MDR). Most isolates were resistant to lincomycin (98%), penicillin-G (96%), orbifloxacin (90%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (90%) and doxycycline (87%). A low proportion of isolates was resistant to imipenem (6%), tobramycin (12%), amikacin (16%) and gentamicin (18%). A high proportion of MDR-P. aeruginosa isolates was resistant to amoxycillin-clavulanic acid (99%), tylosin (99%), chloramphenicol (97%) and doxycycline (96%). Few (6%) of MDR-P. aeruginosa isolates were resistant to imipenem. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was associated with infections of various organ systems in this study. All P. aeruginosa isolates of P. aeruginosa exhibited resistance to ß-lactams, fluoroquinolones and lincosamides. Clinicians at the hospital in question should consider these findings when treating infections associated with P. aeruginosa.

Patterns and predictors of antimicrobial resistance among Staphylococcus spp. from canine clinical cases presented at a veterinary academic hospital in South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance in staphylococci, often associated with treatment failure, is increasingly reported in veterinary medicine. The aim of this study was to investigate patterns and predictors of antimicrobial resistance among Staphylococcus spp. isolates from canine samples submitted to the bacteriology laboratory at the University of Pretoria academic veterinary hospital between 2007 and 2012. Retrospective data of 334 Staphylococcus isolates were used to calculate the proportion of samples resistant to 15 antimicrobial agents. The Cochran-Armitage trend test was used to investigate temporal trends and logistic regression models were used to investigate predictors of antimicrobial resistance in Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius. RESULTS: Results show that 98.2% (55/56) of the S. aureus isolates were resistant to at least one drug while 42.9% were multidrug resistant. Seventy-seven percent (214/278) of the S. pseudintermedius isolates were resistant to at least one drug and 25.9% (72/278) were multidrug resistant. Resistance to lincospectin was more common among S. aureus (64.3%) than S. pseudintermedius (38.9%). Similarly, resistance to clindamycin was higher in S. aureus (51.8%) than S. pseudintermedius (31.7%) isolates. There was a significant (p = 0.005) increase in S. aureus resistance to enrofloxacin over the study period. Similarly, S. pseudintermedius exhibited significant increasing temporal trend in resistance to trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (p = 0.004), clindamycin (p = 0.022) and orbifloxacin (p = 0.042). However, there was a significant decreasing temporal trend in the proportion of isolates resistant to doxycycline (p = 0.041), tylosin (p = 0.008), kanamycin (p = 0.017) and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (p = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: High levels of multidrug resistance and the increasing levels of resistance to sulphonamides, lincosamides and fluoroquinolones among Staphylococcus spp. isolates in this study are concerning. Future studies will need to investigate local drivers of antimicrobial resistance to better guide control efforts to address the problem.

Burden and predictors of Staphylococcus aureus and S. pseudintermedius infections among dogs presented at an academic veterinary hospital in South Africa (2007-2012).

BACKGROUND: Staphylococci are commensals of the mucosal surface and skin of humans and animals, but have been implicated in infections such as otitis externa, pyoderma, urinary tract infections and post-surgical complications. Laboratory records provide useful information to help investigate these infections. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the burdens of these infections and use multinomial regression to examine the associations between various Staphylococcus infections and demographic and temporal factors among dogs admitted to an academic veterinary hospital in South Africa. METHODS: Records of 1,497 clinical canine samples submitted to the bacteriology laboratory at a veterinary academic hospital between 2007 and 2012 were included in this study. Proportions of staphylococcal positive samples were calculated, and a multinomial logistic regression model was used to identify predictors of staphylococcal infections. RESULTS: Twenty-seven percent of the samples tested positive for Staphylococcus spp. The species of Staphylococcus identified were S. pseudintermedius (19.0%), S. aureus (3.8%), S. epidermidis (0.7%) and S. felis (0.1%). The remaining 2.87% consisted of unspeciated Staphylococcus. Distribution of the species by age of dog showed that S. pseudintermedius was the most common (25.6%) in dogs aged 2-4 years while S. aureus was most frequent (6.3%) in dogs aged 5-6 years. S. pseudintermedius (34.1%) and S. aureus (35.1%) were the most frequently isolated species from skin samples. The results of the multivariable multinomial logistic regression model identified specimen, year and age of the dog as significant predictors of the risk of infection with Staphylococcus. There was a significant temporal increase (RRR = 1.17; 95% CI [1.06-1.29]) in the likelihood of a dog testing positive for S. pseudintermedius compared to testing negative. Dogs ≤ 8 years of age were significantly more likely to test positive for S. aureus than those >8 years of age. Similarly, dogs between 2-8 years of age were significantly more likely to test positive for S. pseudintermedius than those >8 years of age. In addition, dogs 2-4 years of age (RRR = 1.83; 1.09-3.06) were significantly more likely to test positive for S. pseudintermedius compared to those <2 years of age. The risk of infection with S. pseudintermedius or S. aureus was significantly higher in ear canal and skin specimens compared to other specimens. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that S. pseudintermedius and S. aureus were the most commonly isolated species from dogs presented at the study hospital. Age of the dog and the location of infection were significant predictors of infection with both Staphylococcus species investigated. Significant increasing temporal trend was observed for S. pseudintermedius but not S. aureus. This information is useful for guiding clinical decisions as well as future research.

Assessment of the Occupational Health and Food Safety Risks Associated with the Traditional Slaughter and Consumption of Goats in Gauteng, South Africa.

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the occupational health and food safety risks associated with the traditional slaughter of goats and the consumption of such meat in Tshwane, South Africa. METHODS: A convenience sample of 105 respondents agreed to be interviewed using structured questionnaires. RESULTS: A high proportion (62.64%) of practitioners admitted to not wearing protective clothing during slaughter. Slaughtering was mainly carried out by males (99%) with experience (62.2%). Forty-four percent of practitioners only changed the clothes they wore while slaughtering when they got home. During the actual slaughter, up to seven people may be involved. The majority (58.9%) of slaughters occurred early in the morning and none of the goats were stunned first. In 77.5% of cases, the health status of the persons who performed the slaughtering was not known. The majority (57.3%) of the slaughters were performed on a corrugated iron roof sheet (zinc plate). In 83.3% of the cases, the carcass was hung up to facilitate bleeding, flaying, and evisceration. Meat inspection was not practiced by any of the respondents. Throughout the slaughter process, the majority used the same knife (84.3) and 84.7% only cleaned the knife when it became soiled. A total of 52.0% of the respondents processed the carcass and cooked the meat immediately. The majority (80.0%) consumed the meat within 30 min of cooking. CONCLUSIONS: Men are at a higher risk of occupational health hazards associated with traditional slaughter, which can be transferred to their households. Unhygienic methods of processing and the lack of any form of post-mortem examination increase the risk of food-borne illness following the consumption of such meat.

Assessment of Welfare Issues During Traditional Slaughter of Goats in Pretoria, South Africa.

Goats are traditionally slaughtered to celebrate marriages and births, venerate ancestors, address personal problems, or perform a ritual during funerals. The objective of this study was to assess nonhuman animal welfare issues associated with the traditional slaughter of goats in and around Pretoria, South Africa. Participatory research methods were used to interview 105 respondents. Four of those interviewed were visited to observe the slaughter process. The most common method of transport was a vehicle (47%), followed by transport on foot (30%). The distance traveled (68%) was usually less than 10 km, and in all cases, it was less than 50 km. The most common (57%) method of restraining goats during transport was tying all 4 legs together. During slaughter, assistants held the head and legs of the goat (55%). Prior to slaughter, the majority of goats were tied under a tree (66%). In total, 97% of the goats were slaughtered within 24 hr, and no stunning was performed. In this study, animal welfare problems were widespread. Research should be undertaken to find practical ways to address animal welfare issues during traditional slaughter.

Designing a risk communication strategy for health hazards posed by traditional slaughter of goats in Tshwane, South Africa.

In African societies, traditional slaughter is linked to celebrations like weddings or births, as well as funerals and ancestor veneration. Participants in traditional slaughter of goats are at risk of exposure to hazards during slaughter, food preparation and consumption of goat meat. For risk mitigation strategies to be implemented, identification of the population at risk is required. This study is based on the premise that the demographic profile of people involved in traditional slaughter of goats is important for risk communication. Both structured and informal interviews were recorded and analysed using a thematic analysis. A total of 105 people were interviewed at taxi ranks in Tshwane, Gauteng. Of these, 48 were women and 57 men. The median age of women and men was 40.6 years and 44.3 years, respectively. The majority of respondents (61.9%, n = 65) interviewed were from the Gauteng Province. Sixty percent (n = 63) of respondents had a secondary education, whilst less than 4.81% (n = 5) of respondents had no formal education. This study demonstrated that interviewing commuters at taxi ranks gave access to a cross section of gender, age, language and origin. It was found that both genders were involved in traditional slaughter of goats. Risk communication strategies should thus target women as well as men. Communication strategies to mitigate the risks of traditional slaughter of goats should take into consideration the dynamic nature of demographic and cultural norms. In light of the wide demographic profile of the respondents, it was concluded that it should be possible to use taxi ranks for successful dissemination of food safety and occupational health risk mitigation messages.