Expanding Understanding of Urban Rift Valley Fever Risk and Associated Vector Ecology at Slaughterhouses in Kisumu, Kenya. Gerken, K. N., Owuor, K. O., Ndenga, B., Wambua, S., Winter, C., Chemutai, S., Omukuti, R., Arabu, D., Miring’u, I., Wilson, W. C., Mutuku, F., Waggoner, J. J., Pinsky, B., Bosire, C., & LaBeaud, A. D. Pathogens, 13(6):488, June, 2024.
Expanding Understanding of Urban Rift Valley Fever Risk and Associated Vector Ecology at Slaughterhouses in Kisumu, Kenya [link]Paper  doi  abstract   bibtex   
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is an adaptable arbovirus that can be transmitted by a wide variety of arthropods. Widespread urban transmission of RVFV has not yet occurred, but peri-urban outbreaks of RVFV have recently been documented in East Africa. We previously reported low-level exposure in urban communities and highlighted the risk of introduction via live animal influx. We deployed a slaughtered animal testing framework in response to an early warning system at two urban slaughterhouses and tested animals entering the meat value chain for anti-RVFV IgG and IgM antibodies. We simultaneously trapped mosquitoes for RVFV and bloodmeal testing. Out of 923 animals tested, an 8.5% IgG seroprevalence was identified but no evidence of recent livestock exposure was detected. Mosquito species abundance varied greatly by slaughterhouse site, which explained 52% of the variance in blood meals. We captured many Culex spp., a known RVFV amplifying vector, at one of the sites (p \textless 0.001), and this species had the most diverse blood meals. No mosquito pools tested positive for RVFV antigen using a rapid VecTOR test. These results expand understanding of potential RVF urban disease ecology, and highlight that slaughterhouses are key locations for future surveillance, modelling, and monitoring efforts.
@article{gerken_expanding_2024,
	title = {Expanding {Understanding} of {Urban} {Rift} {Valley} {Fever} {Risk} and {Associated} {Vector} {Ecology} at {Slaughterhouses} in {Kisumu}, {Kenya}},
	volume = {13},
	copyright = {http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/},
	issn = {2076-0817},
	url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/13/6/488},
	doi = {10.3390/pathogens13060488},
	abstract = {Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is an adaptable arbovirus that can be transmitted by a wide variety of arthropods. Widespread urban transmission of RVFV has not yet occurred, but peri-urban outbreaks of RVFV have recently been documented in East Africa. We previously reported low-level exposure in urban communities and highlighted the risk of introduction via live animal influx. We deployed a slaughtered animal testing framework in response to an early warning system at two urban slaughterhouses and tested animals entering the meat value chain for anti-RVFV IgG and IgM antibodies. We simultaneously trapped mosquitoes for RVFV and bloodmeal testing. Out of 923 animals tested, an 8.5\% IgG seroprevalence was identified but no evidence of recent livestock exposure was detected. Mosquito species abundance varied greatly by slaughterhouse site, which explained 52\% of the variance in blood meals. We captured many Culex spp., a known RVFV amplifying vector, at one of the sites (p {\textless} 0.001), and this species had the most diverse blood meals. No mosquito pools tested positive for RVFV antigen using a rapid VecTOR test. These results expand understanding of potential RVF urban disease ecology, and highlight that slaughterhouses are key locations for future surveillance, modelling, and monitoring efforts.},
	language = {en},
	number = {6},
	urldate = {2024-06-17},
	journal = {Pathogens},
	author = {Gerken, Keli Nicole and Owuor, Kevin Omondi and Ndenga, Bryson and Wambua, Sammy and Winter, Christabel and Chemutai, Salome and Omukuti, Rodney and Arabu, Daniel and Miring’u, Irene and Wilson, William C. and Mutuku, Francis and Waggoner, Jesse J. and Pinsky, Benjamin and Bosire, Carren and LaBeaud, Angelle Desiree},
	month = jun,
	year = {2024},
	pages = {488},
}

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