Assessment of risk factors associated with and practices of cattle farmers in Kirehe District Rwanda with respect to vector-borne and zoonotic pathogens

Rural Rwandan communities face challenges to the health of humans and animals. The topography and climate of the Kirehe District of Rwanda put farmers there at high risk for mosquito-borne diseases. Farmers from 92 Rwandan farms were surveyed about farm practices, as well as animal and human health histories between December 2017 to February 2018. Further, human, animal, and environmental factors were investigated to determine whether there is a pattern in risk for abortion occurrence in cattle and/or history of malarial disease in the human populations. Iterative, complimentary logistic regression models were employed to determine whether there was an association between surveyed variables and spontaneous cattle abortion, a known symptom of and risk factor for Rift Valley Fever virus and other mosquito-borne/zoonotic pathogens in the region. These factors were then used to investigate association with a reported history of malaria. Of the 92 farms in our study, 82 were family farms and 10 were commercial farms. On average, 88% of the farms had cattle and 30% of farms had experienced a cattle abortion in the past two years. There was no discernable pattern in significance in the risk factors for history of abortion in cattle. This One Health approach sought to investigate human, animal, and environmental factors surrounding the transmission of zoonotic, mosquito-borne viruses. From our study into the practices of the farmers with respect to biosafety and self-protection against disease, we identify potential sources of risk that could be targeted for enhance education and protection on these farms.