EMQ - UK Spain support to understanding and controlling emergence of infectious disease in the Queen Elizabeth National Park and Enclaves Uganda
Lead Research Organisation:
Royal Veterinary College
Department Name: Pathology and Pathogen Biology
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Richard Kock (Principal Investigator) | |
| Ignasi Marco (Co-Investigator) |
Publications
Aguilar X F
(2020)
Peste des Petits Ruminants at the Wildlife-Livestock Interface in the Western Albertine Rift and Nile Basin, East Africa
in Viruses
Aguilar XF
(2018)
PPR virus threatens wildlife conservation.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Fine AE
(2020)
Eradication of Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus and the Wildlife-Livestock Interface.
in Frontiers in veterinary science
| Description | The engagement with our partners UAB and in the context of Uganda and the Western Rift it is clear that there are certain priorities for research work in the livestock wildlife interface. 1) Bovine TB appears less of a concern in the context to the system where it infects wildlife and livestock but the social, economic and biodiversity impacts appear minimal including low zoonotic risk. This might be a result of the ecosystem and resilience of indigenous cattle breeds and wildlife populations. 2) PPR is a possible factor in the local disease portfolio but for some reason it is not emerging on the veterinary services agenda perhaps due to under-reporting or failure to complete diagnosis. 3) Local farmers have identified key animal health and land use conflict issues for consideration in any research development. Notably: Abortion Fever in cattle Diarrhoea in cattle Headache in cattle Skin lesions cattle/people Pollution/ poisoning especially in wildlife Tick borne diseases After discussion it was clear cattle are the main economic concern. After participatory attempts to allocate probable diagnosis to syndromes, it was concluded that the vector borne diseases remain high impact and largely neglected (link to headache and abortion in cattle), and internal parasite burdens persist (contributing to diarrhoea), and a particular problem appears to be un-researched seasonal diarrhoea in cattle sheep and goats (linked to rains, trypanosomiasis and possibly other internal parasites), and resource conflicts are an issue at the interface. Fever and abortion in cattle could be linked to e.g. blood parasites, brucellosis and anthrax. Skin disease was common most probably including sarcoptic mange and ring worm which are zoonotic. Further to this we have focused on PPR virus infection in small ruminants which is becoming more prominent in the disease profile of the Western Uganda region. Serology and swab samples from livestock have been provided by the collaboration and data on livestock systems and disease. These are being incorporated now into the PPR database at RVC and samples are due to be sent to Pirbright UK for analysis and integration into the synthesis publication under the separate PPR specific projects IUEPPR and GCRF PPR. |
| Exploitation Route | Exploring possible projects to explore sustainable agricultural systems in both Africa and Europe with a focus on the livestock/wildlife economy and interface concerns. Consideration of TB control in this open system needs to take into account the cost benefit of various strategies and the current resilience of the animal populations and agricultural systems. Focus of research also needs to shift to better understanding of wildlife prevalence and persistence. The findings might influence thinking around the introduction of dairy or so-called improved breeds like Holstein Friesian which might spell disaster to the apparent current disease equilibrium with low impact of BTB in the cattle. Use of fencing might also disturb the current disease status between wildlife and livestock. Priorities identified for further veterinary research and for NGO and government veterinary activity in the region. PPR findings in livestock arising under this partnership have supported the IUEPPR project ongoing on wildlife in the region. Further work on PPR virus in East Africa using the data and concepts developed during this award continue to support the GCRF project in Kenya and Tanzania ongoing. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Description | The findings are being assimilated at the Veterinary Services and NADDEC epidemiological services in Uganda at the Ministry of Agriculture and at the Uganda Wildlife Services. Local communities are now more aware of prevalence of certain diseases and this may influence practice especially with respect to bovine TB. This effort has led to ongoing collaboration on a separate BBSRC project on PPR virus with the NGO and Vet Services in the target ecosystems. This is providing parallel data from livestock systems to correlate with the findings from wildlife. A student of the UAB is now helping assimilate the Daktari data on PPR from livestock into outputs from the IUEPRR project under a temporary research assistant post. This work has led to the publishing of a synthesis paper on the western Rift in Uganda and PPR inclusive of data from our Spanish collaborators linking in livestock data to the project wildlife data. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2016 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic |
| Title | PPRV wildlife and livestock surveillance Uganda database |
| Description | Data from field missions collection of samples and laboratory analysis of samples. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2015 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Providing critical information for completion and outcome of the project and related projects |
| Description | UAB - RVC - Daktari collaboration on bovine TB and sustainable livestock systems |
| Organisation | Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) |
| Department | Faculty of Veterinary Medicine |
| Country | Spain |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Information on TB from studies in wildlife and livestock in and around Queen Elizabeth National Park - helping implementation of veterinary support programme of UAB-Daktari NGO partnership. Opportunity for incorporating PPR studies into their portfolio of work from 2015. Obtained Partnership Grant |
| Collaborator Contribution | Physical and Material support to our programme on Bovine TB in QENP. Physical Material and Data support to the BBSRC PPR research IUEPPR Support to development of proposals for H2020 funding on sustainable agriculture |
| Impact | Improved knowledge of TB prevalence in wildlife and livestock in Western Uganda Akigera ecosystem. Data on PPR provided from livestock systems surrounding the QENP 2015, 2016, 2017 and further south during PPR outbreak in 2017. Provision of serum for serology on PPR. |
| Start Year | 2013 |
| Description | Uganda Farmers Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Workshop to explore disease concerns at the livestock wildlife human interface in Western Rift Uganda focused on Queen Elizabeth National Park. This brought farmers, policy makers, agencies, non government sector, professionals together to discuss disease in the context of local issues. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Workshop Spain University Autonomous Barcelona Faculty Vet Medicine |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
| Results and Impact | Provided boundaries for collaboration between UAB and RVC Clear areas for future collaboration in H2020 call - now exploring possibilities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |