The Impact and Social Ecology of Bacterial Zoonoses in Northern Tanzania: Understanding Transmission Patterns Among Humans, Livestock and Wildlife Hosts

Bacterial Zoonoses in Northern Tanzania

Faculty:

Countries:

Sponsors:

  • NIH-Fogarty International Center

Collaborators:

  • Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre

Start Date:

End Date:

  • Ongoing

The Impact and Social Ecology of Bacterial Zoonoses in Northern Tanzania: Understanding Transmission Patterns Among Humans, Livestock and Wildlife Hosts

In northern Tanzania, febrile disease caused by the zoonotic pathogens, Leptospira, Coxiella and Brucella spp., account for 11 times more febrile admissions than malaria. These pathogens can infect and be transmitted among a wide range of host species. However, almost nothing is known about transmission patterns among animal hosts, which host species are responsible for transmission to humans, or the key social, economic and behavioral determinants of human disease risk in different agro-ecological settings. This project integrates several disciplinary approaches, including social behavioral studies, human febrile illness surveillance, and linked human-animal epidemiological studies, to generate data for incorporation into models of human disease risk. These models, together with an understanding of community risk perception and knowledge allows us to identify appropriate strategies for disease control and prevention.

Last updated on January 10, 2018