Participatory Epidemiological Study on Major Livestock Diseases in Selected Districts of Korahay and Dollo Zones in the Somali Region, Ethiopia

Participatory Epidemiological Study on Major Livestock Diseases in Selected Districts of Korahay and Dollo Zones in the Somali Region, Ethiopia | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Participatory Epidemiological Study on Major Livestock Diseases in Selected Districts of Korahay and Dollo Zones in the Somali Region, Ethiopia Ahmed Abdi Mohomed, Ahmed Ali Muhumed, Najib Ma’alin Badal, Ade Ibrahin Barkadle, and 4 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8881601/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Livestock play a crucial role in the livelihood of pastoral communities in Ethiopia's Somali Region, but their productivity is hindered by widespread endemic and transboundary diseases. A participatory epidemiological study, conducted from January 05, 2025 to January 30, 2026, in five districts of the Korahay and Dollo zones, aimed to identify and prioritize major livestock diseases, assess seasonal trends, and understand community perceptions. Participatory methods such as focus group discussions, proportional piling, pairwise scoring, matrix scoring, and seasonal calendaring were used, involving livestock owners, herders, local veterinary personnel, and community leaders. Among livestock species, goats were ranked as the most important, followed by sheep, camels, cattle, and donkeys. The top five livestock diseases identified were Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (14.2%), Peste des Petits Ruminants (13.0%), Hemorrhagic Septicemia (12.0%), Sheep and Goat Pox (11.0%), and Trypanosomiasis (9.8%) respectively. The study revealed a high and statistically significant agreement (W = 0.886, p < 0.001) across the five districts regarding the prioritization of major livestock diseases, indicating consistent perceptions throughout the study areas. CCPP and PPR were perceived as the most severe and transmissible, particularly during the summer season, due to livestock congregation around water sources. SGP and Trypanosomiasis peak in the spring and autumn seasons, respectively, while Hemorrhagic Septicemia occurs mostly in the winter. The main challenges identified by the community were animal disease as the first priority, followed by drought, limited access to veterinary services, and scarcity of feed and water resources. The study recommended the setup of mobile veterinary clinics, seasonal vaccination campaigns targeting CCPP and PPR, integrated participatory and conventional disease diagnosis, water harvesting for fodder production, pastoral education on biosecurity, collaboration with neighboring regions to control cross-border diseases, and the integration of livestock health programs. The study highlights the effectiveness of participatory epidemiology in guiding community-based solutions to livestock health challenges in pastoral areas of Ethiopia's Somali Region. Veterinary Epidemiology Diseases Livestock Pastoralsist Particpatory Epidemiology Somali Region Ethiopia Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8881601","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":591430503,"identity":"868dfe31-eb8d-4570-9e21-63a5768a6d10","order_by":0,"name":"Ahmed Abdi Mohomed","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA2UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACgwNAgreBQc6+vQHEtSBei7EBD4hlIEG8lsQNEgkgPjFazq8xe/B2hw3jdsnnVzf8KJBg4G/vTsCv5cYbc8O5Z9KYLWfnlN3sATpM4szZDQS0nDGT5m07zMZwOyftBg9Qi4FELlFa/vMw3DyTdvMPUVrO94C0HJAwuMF+7DZRtkjOYCuTnNuWbCDZk8N2W8ZAgoegX/j5D2+TeNtmV9/PfvzZzTd/bOT423vxa2GARAcI8BiASfzKwdYcgLHYHxBWPQpGwSgYBSMSAAACHUwy94nzjQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6217-0887","institution":"Jigjiga University, Ethiopia","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ahmed","middleName":"Abdi","lastName":"Mohomed","suffix":""},{"id":591430504,"identity":"45858cc8-fb74-42e2-b197-f92b95a6db5c","order_by":1,"name":"Ahmed Ali Muhumed","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9086-3944","institution":"Kabridahar Regional Veterinary Laboratory Center","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ahmed","middleName":"Ali","lastName":"Muhumed","suffix":""},{"id":591430505,"identity":"bc032aa6-ea45-4872-8e4d-797dbf062da5","order_by":2,"name":"Najib Ma’alin Badal","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7146-8609","institution":"Kabridahar Regional Veterinary Laboratory Center","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Najib","middleName":"Ma’alin","lastName":"Badal","suffix":""},{"id":591430506,"identity":"6a5a4434-b37b-42a7-8952-fcb6f5d9bf30","order_by":3,"name":"Ade Ibrahin Barkadle","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8224-5338","institution":"Kabridahar Regional Veterinary Laboratory Center","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ade","middleName":"Ibrahin","lastName":"Barkadle","suffix":""},{"id":591430507,"identity":"cb6cb9bb-b413-4635-a9a4-889dfa607c1f","order_by":4,"name":"Yahye Yasin Hassan","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7003-7485","institution":"Jigjiga University, Ethiopia","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yahye","middleName":"Yasin","lastName":"Hassan","suffix":""},{"id":591430508,"identity":"782ed051-c445-4598-88a3-23586d353644","order_by":5,"name":"Mohamed Abdi Mohamed","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jigjiga University,Ethiopia","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mohamed","middleName":"Abdi","lastName":"Mohamed","suffix":""},{"id":591430509,"identity":"ce4355db-140b-4035-899b-8b4bd809ca25","order_by":6,"name":"Hassan Abdi Arog","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4498-3123","institution":"Jigjiga University, Ethiopia","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hassan","middleName":"Abdi","lastName":"Arog","suffix":""},{"id":591430510,"identity":"e3665a06-68c5-41b1-a7b6-fc6c945938da","order_by":7,"name":"Mohamednur Husen Ahmed","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6405-9137","institution":"Somali Regional State, Pastoral Development Bureau, Jigjiga, Ethiopia","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mohamednur","middleName":"Husen","lastName":"Ahmed","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-02-14 17:07:05","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":true,"vertebrateSubjects":true,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":true,"humanSubjectConsent":true,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":true,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":true},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8881601/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8881601/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eParticipatory Epidemiological Study on Major Livestock Diseases in Selected Districts of Korahay and Dollo Zones in the Somali Region, Ethiopia\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"Kabridahar Regional Veterinary Laboratory Center, PDB","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Diseases, Livestock, Pastoralsist, Particpatory Epidemiology, Somali Region, Ethiopia","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8881601/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8881601/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eLivestock play a crucial role in the livelihood of pastoral communities in Ethiopia's Somali Region, but their productivity is hindered by widespread endemic and transboundary diseases. A participatory epidemiological study, conducted from January 05, 2025\u0026nbsp;to January\u0026nbsp;30, 2026, in five districts of the Korahay and Dollo zones, aimed to identify and prioritize major livestock diseases, assess seasonal trends, and understand community perceptions. Participatory methods such as focus group discussions, proportional piling, pairwise scoring, matrix scoring, and seasonal calendaring were used, involving livestock owners, herders, local veterinary personnel, and community leaders. Among livestock species, goats were ranked as the most important, followed by sheep, camels, cattle, and donkeys. The top five livestock diseases identified were Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (14.2%), Peste des Petits Ruminants (13.0%), Hemorrhagic Septicemia (12.0%), Sheep and Goat Pox (11.0%), and Trypanosomiasis (9.8%) respectively. The study revealed a high and statistically significant agreement (W = 0.886, p \u0026lt; 0.001) across the five districts regarding the prioritization of major livestock diseases, indicating consistent perceptions throughout the study areas. CCPP and PPR were perceived as the most severe and transmissible, particularly during the summer season, due to livestock congregation around water sources. SGP and Trypanosomiasis peak in the spring and autumn seasons, respectively, while Hemorrhagic Septicemia occurs mostly in the winter. The main challenges identified by the community were animal disease as the first\u0026nbsp;priority, followed by drought, limited access to veterinary services, and scarcity of feed and water resources. The study recommended the setup of mobile veterinary clinics, seasonal vaccination campaigns targeting CCPP and PPR, integrated participatory and conventional disease diagnosis, water harvesting for fodder production, pastoral education on biosecurity, collaboration with neighboring regions to control cross-border diseases, and the integration of livestock health programs. The study highlights the effectiveness of participatory epidemiology in guiding community-based solutions to livestock health challenges in pastoral areas of Ethiopia's Somali Region.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Participatory Epidemiological Study on Major Livestock Diseases in Selected Districts of Korahay and Dollo Zones in the Somali Region, Ethiopia","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-02-17 11:41:58","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8881601/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"45838b9b-fb33-42e1-b290-46aab254ada2","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 17th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":63067109,"name":"Veterinary Epidemiology"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-02-17T11:41:58+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-02-17 11:41:58","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8881601","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8881601","identity":"rs-8881601","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}