Anthrax bio-surveillance of livestock in Arua District, Uganda, 2017-2018.

Anthrax, caused by Bacillus anthracis, is a widespread zoonotic disease with many human cases, especially in developing countries. Even with its global distribution, anthrax is a neglected disease with scarce information about its actual impact on the community level. Due to the ecological dynamics of anthrax transmission at the wildlife-livestock interface, the Sub-Saharan Africa region becomes a high-risk zone for maintaining and acquiring the disease. In this regard, some subregions of Uganda are endemic to anthrax with regular seasonal trends. However, there is scarce data about anthrax outbreaks in Uganda. Here, we confirmed the presence of B. anthracis in several livestock samples after a suspected anthrax outbreak among livestock and humans in Arua District. Additionally, we explored the potential risk factors of anthrax through a survey within the community kraals. We provide evidence that the most affected livestock species during the Arua outbreak were cattle (86%) compared to the rest of the livestock species present in the area. Moreover, the farmers' education level and the presence of people's anthrax cases were the most critical factors determining the disease's knowledge and awareness. Consequently, the lack of understanding of the ecology of anthrax may contribute to the spread of the infection between livestock and humans, and it is critical to reducing the presence and persistence of the B. anthracis spores in the environment. Finally, we discuss the increasingly recognized necessity to strengthen global capacity using a One Health approach to prevent, detect, control, and respond to public threats in Uganda.

Rabies in Uganda: rabies knowledge, attitude and practice and molecular characterization of circulating virus strains.

BACKGROUND: Rabies is a deadly preventable viral disease that affects all warm-blooded animals and widespread in many regions including Africa. The disease remains of major public health importance in Uganda. The purpose of this study was to establish Knowledge, Attitude, Practice (KAP) of Rabies in Moyo and Ntoroko districts and to characterize Rabies virus (RABV) strains from seven districts of Uganda with consistent prevalence of rabies. METHODS: KAP survey data were collected based on animal biting history by interviewing the head of the veterinary departments, the medical centers and selected households from the study sites. Data were obtained from 84 households in Ntoroko and Moyo districts. Thirty-five (35) brain samples were collected from bovine, dogs, goats, foxes, jackals ad sheep between 2011 and 2013. Samples were tested using fluorescent antibody test (FAT), One step RT-PCR (following RNA extraction) and partial RABV N gene was sequenced by Sanger method before phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses of sequences. RESULTS: Scarcity of post-exposure prophylaxis services in the health centers was noted. Poor attitude of wound washing and deficiency of knowledge on how to handle wounds related to dog bites and the significance among household participants lacked. There is a high risk of rabies infection due to a limited dog's vaccination. Dog biting episodes in humans were of 75.00 and 62.50% in Moyo and Ntoroko districts respectively. Twenty-seven (27) samples tested positive for rabies by FAT and PCR. Ugandan sequences were closely related (97% nucleotide id) to the rabies virus sequences from Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Nigeria, Central African Republic and Sudan with both the "Africa 1A" and "Africa 1B" RABV clades represented. A putative new clade 1D was also detected. CONCLUSIONS: Rabies remains a public health hazard in Uganda. There is urgent need to establish advocacy programs in both schools and communities to curtail the spread of rabies. Increasing the knowledge regarding wound washing, post-exposure prophylaxis and dogs vaccination would enhance prevention of rabies. A strong collaboration between medical and veterinary sectors under a one health platform is required to ensure sufficient preventative services to the communities.