An overlooked poultry trade network of the smallholder farms in the border provinces of Thailand, 2021: implications for avian influenza surveillance.

Introduction: In Thailand, community-level poultry trade is conducted on a small-scale involving farmers and traders with many trade networks. Understanding the poultry movements may help identify different activities that farmers and traders might contribute to the spread of avian influenza. Methods: This study aimed to describe the characteristics of players involved in the poultry trade network at the northeastern border of Thailand using network analysis approaches. Mukdahan and Nakhon Phanom provinces, which border Laos, and Ubon Ratchathani province, which borders both Laos and Cambodia, were selected as survey sites. Results: Local veterinary officers identified and interviewed 338 poultry farmers and eight poultry traders in 2021. A weighted directed network identified incoming and outgoing movements of where the subdistricts traded chickens. Ninety-nine subdistricts and 181 trade links were captured. A self-looping (trader and consumer in the same subdistrict) feedback was found in 56 of 99 subdistricts. The median distance of the movements was 14.02 km (interquartile range (IQR): 6.04-102.74 km), with a maximum of 823.08 km. Most subdistricts in the network had few poultry trade connections, with a median of 1. They typically connected to 1-5 other subdistricts, most often receiving poultry from 1 to 2.5 subdistricts, and sending to 1-2 subdistricts. The subdistricts with the highest overall and in-degree centrality were located in Mukdahan province, whereas one with the highest out-degree centrality was found in Nakhon Phanom province. Discussion: The poultry movement pattern observed in this network helps explain how avian influenza could spread over the networks once introduced.

Risk perceptions of avian influenza among poultry farmers on smallholder farms along border areas of Thailand.

Introduction: Thailand has not reported any cases of avian influenza since 2008. However, avian influenza viruses circulating in poultry in neighboring countries may have potential for transmission to humans. The aim of this study was to assess risk perceptions of poultry farmers and traders in three border provinces of Thailand adjacent to Laos. Materials and methods: Poultry farmers and traders were interviewed in-person during October-December 2021 by health and livestock officials using a standardized questionnaire to collect demographics, job histories, knowledge, and practices related to avian influenza. Knowledge and practices were scored using 22 questions with a 5-point scale. Exploratory data analysis scores above and below the 25th percentile was used as the cut-off point for perception scores. The cut-off point was used to describe perceptions of respondent characteristics in order to compare differences between groups with more or < 10 years of experience. Age adjusted perceptions of disease risk were analyzed by multivariable logistic regression. Results: Of the 346 respondents, the median risk perception score was 77.3% (22 questions with a 5-point scale, so the total score was 110). Having more than 10 years of experience in poultry farming was significantly associated with an increased perception of the risk of avian influenza (adjusted odds ratio 3.9, 95% confidence interval 1.1-15.1). Thirty-two percent of participants perceived avian influenza as a risk only during the winter season, and more than one-third of the participants (34.4%) had not received recent information about new viral strains of avian influenza. Discussion: Participants did not perceive some key information on the risks associated with avian influenza. Regular training on the risks of avian influenza could be provided by national, provincial and/or local officials and they, in turn, could share what they learn with their communities. Participants who had greater experience in poultry farming were associated with greater risk perception. Experienced poultry farmers and traders working on poultry farms can be a part of the community mentorship program to share their experiences and knowledge on avian influenza with new poultry producers to improve their perception of disease risk.

An Assessment of Epidemiology Capacity in a One Health Team at the Provincial Level in Thailand.

A multi-sectoral core epidemiology capacity assessment was conducted in provinces that implemented One Health services in order to assess the efficacy of a One Health approach in Thailand. In order to conduct the assessment, four provinces were randomly selected as a study group from a total of 19 Thai provinces that are currently using a One Health approach. As a control group, four additional provinces that never implemented a One Health approach were also sampled. The provincial officers were interviewed on the epidemiologic capacity of their respective provinces. The average score of epidemiologic capacity in the provinces implementing the One Health approach was 66.45%, while the provinces that did not implement this approach earned a score of 54.61%. The epidemiologic capacity of surveillance systems in provinces that utilized the One Health approach earned higher scores in comparison to provinces that did not implement the approach (75.00% vs. 53.13%, p-value 0.13). Although none of the capacity evaluations showed significant differences between the two groups, we found evidence that provinces implementing the One Health approach gained higher scores in both surveillance and outbreak investigation capacities. This may be explained by more efficient capacity when using a One Health approach, specifically in preventing, protecting, and responding to threats in local communities.

Review of fatal and severe cases of box jellyfish envenomation in Thailand.

The study aimed to describe severe and fatal cases of box jellyfish stings in Thailand. Medical records were reviewed and patients, relatives, health staffs, and witnesses were interviewed. The pictures of suspected box jellyfish were sent via e-mail to experts in the toxic jellyfish network for further identification. There were at least 8 cases of box jellyfish envenomation, with 4 fatal and 4 near-fatal cases. There were an equal number of male and female patients from 4 to 26 years of age. In each case, there was immediate severe pain followed by systemic reactions. Immediately after exposure to the sting, 7 victims collapsed experiencing severe pain at the tentacle marks, respiratory failure, and cardiac arrest. All patients had tentacle marks on their bodies. In none of the fatal cases was vinegar applied to the tentacle marks as first aid, but 3 out of the 4 near-fatal cases were treated with a vinegar application.