Brucellosis is one of the main zoonoses affecting ruminants. Cattle and small ruminants are involved in transhumance and trade between Côte d'Ivoire and Mali. The endemic nature of the disease in both countries, connected through transhumance, poses unique challenges and requires more information to facilitate disease surveillance and the development of integrated control strategies. This study aimed to assess the main factors influencing the historical and current transborder transmission of brucellosis between Côte d'Ivoire and Mali. A literature review was conducted and data collection was performed through a participatory, transdisciplinary process by holding focus group discussions and interviews with key stakeholders. Cattle breeders, herdsmen, professionals of animal and human health, border control agents and experts took part. The data was analyzed to generate essential new knowledge for transborder brucellosis transmission factors and control strategies. From the literature, the seroprevalence of brucellosis in both countries varied from 11% (1987) to 20% (2013) and 15% (1972–1973) to 5% (2012–2014) in Mali and Côte d'Ivoire, respectively. The reduction of seroprevalence in Côte d'Ivoire was the result of the annual vaccination campaigns which lowered it from 28% (1978) to 14% (1984) after an increase due to livestock policy implemented in 1976. The meta-analysis and interviews jointly showed that the cross-border mobility was associated with the livestock development policy in Côte d'Ivoire as well as the ECOWAS act on the free movement of people and goods. This act supported the seasonal transhumance of livestock for access to pasture land in southern humid zones in Côte d'Ivoire. The seasonal mobility for grazing and trade was the main risk factor for the spread of brucellosis between pastoral zones of both countries. The existing legal health framework and border control mechanism do not achieve transborder surveillance to control brucellosis. Existing sanitary regulations should be adapted at regional scale to integrate a joint surveillance of high priority zoonotic diseases like brucellosis at border controls.

Background and Aim: Bacterial resistance to antibiotics has now become a threat to global public health. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of health actors in relation to antibiotic resistance (ABR) in two African countries. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional and descriptive questionnaire study was conducted in Ivory Coast and Togo from August 2020 to July 2021. Actors were interviewed both in person 63% (n = 141) and remotely due to COVID-19 restrictions. Qualitative variables were described by frequencies and quantitative variables by the mean and associated standard deviation. The bivariate analysis was conducted through the Chi-square test and exact Fisher test with an acceptable risk of 5%. Results: The results showed that 88% and 50% of the actors from Togo and Ivory Coast, respectively, had a good knowledge of ABR even if most of the stakeholders had limited knowledge of antibiotics that are banned or of critical importance in human and animal medicine. More than 75% of the actors had good perceptions in regard to ABR and these were significantly related to their profession. As for the factors leading to an increase in ABR, the interviewees perceived self-medication in humans as the main contributing factor. Approximately 70% of the actors admitted to following inadequate practices in terms of the use and/or distribution of antibiotics, and 58% and 46% of them used preventive antibiotic therapy in Togo and Ivory Coast, respectively. Similarly, in the two countries, 39% and 69% of the actors, respectively, claimed that they do not systematically use the antibiogram, and 69% and 61% of drug distributors, also respectively, admitted to occasionally selling antibiotics without a prescription. Finally, more than 80% thought that the authorities in their country did not communicate sufficiently about ABR. Among the actions that could help to combat ABR, actors considered the strengthening of controls on the distribution of antibiotics and the education of nonprofessionals on the importance of antibiotic preservation as priorities. Conclusion: Although this first study had some limitations, that is, the low number of surveyed actors and non-standardized questionnaire used, it revealed that health actors in Togo and Ivory Coast have a good knowledge and perception in regard to antibiotics and ABR, but also follow inadequate practices.

Background: Cross‐border livestock mobility through transhumance is mainly practiced in West African countries for seasonal access to resources and market. Cross‐border herds are involved in the dynamic of transboundary animal diseases among them brucellosis taken as model. Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease causing abortion.Objectives: This study explores the seroprevalence of brucellosis according to mobility and infection spread between Mali and Côte d'Ivoire in the context of seasonal cross‐border transhumance.Methods: From February to April 2021, a transversal serological survey of brucellosis was conducted on 521 cattle from 111 transhumant herds and 283 cattle from 59 sedentary herds, all from Mali.Results: The global individual seroprevalence for Brucella spp. in transhumant and sedentary cattle from Mali was 8.2% (95% CI = 6.0–10.5). At herd level, seroprevalence was 21.2% with a significant variation between transhumant (11.7%) and sedentary (39.0%) herds. For herds in transhumance, cattle seropositivity was associated with a previous infection suspected by herdsmen odds ratio (OR = 4.4; 95% CI = 1.1–18.1) and unknown abortion aetiology (OR = 4.3; 95% CI = 1.0–17.3). The departure region (coming from Sikasso) and previous brucellosis infection or unexplained abortion could be used to predict Brucella infection in transhumant herds with a probability of around 60%. The risk of brucellosis introduction in host regions was high despite the individual animal seroprevalence of 3.6% and a low sale rate in transhumant cattle.Conclusions: The findings suggest that testing transhumant during border control and survey of cattle markets and sales could improve risk control of the spread of disease at regional scale.

La Côte d’Ivoire est un pays ouvert à la transhumance transfrontalière du fait de son climat et du potentiel de son marché dans l’espace ouest-africain. Le partage d’espaces, les contacts et les activités socioéconomiques induisent l’émergence et la transmission de plusieurs maladies infectieuses dont la brucellose. L’objectif de cette étude a été d’explorer la répartition spatiale de la brucellose induite par la transhumance en Côte d’Ivoire. Des analyses sérologiques ont été effectuées sur 885 bovins, 83 ovins, 14 caprins et 63 bouviers dans sept régions, dont cinq recevant le bétail transhumant et deux n’en recevant pas. Les séroprévalences individuelles ont été de 4,86 % (intervalle de confiance [IC] 95 % : 3,18‒6,53) chez les bovins, 4,82 % (IC95 % : 0‒10,27) chez les ovins et 7,14 % (IC95 % : 0‒23,11) chez les caprins ; aucun cas n’a été relevé chez les bouviers. La transhumance en provenance des pays limitrophes n’a pas augmenté la séroprévalence de la maladie dans les élevages sédentaires. Les bovins de la zone de transhumance étaient moins infectés (4,1 %) que ceux de la zone où ce type de mobilité n’était pas pratiqué (7,8 %). Les taux de séroprévalence élevés du bétail sédentaire en zone hors transhumance suggèrent d’intensifier le contrôle de la brucellose au niveau des élevages sédentaires.

Background and Aim: Shepherds are in constant contact with animals, and they are potential hosts for the transmission of zoonoses. This study aimed to assess the perceptions of shepherds in Cameroon's West region regarding zoonotic diseases. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from August to October 2017, on 218 shepherds. The data were collected using semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaires. The participants were assessed on their knowledge, attitudes, and practices that might expose them to bovine zoonose transmission, and the data were analyzed with R, version 2.13.0. Descriptive statistics were generated, and the association between socio-demographic characteristics and knowledge was explored using the Chi-square test. Results: Out of the 218 herdsmen, (205/218) 94% did not have any education, and (195/218) 89.5% did not know the definition of zoonosis. There was a correlation between the level of education and knowledge of the definition of zoonosis: About (162/218) 74.6% cited tuberculosis as a zoonosis, (62/218) 28.4% said the main modes of transmission were by ingestion of contaminated milk, and (66/218) 30.3% by consumption of contaminated meat. Abortions during the third trimester of gestation, combined with the presence of hygroma, were described by (130/218) 59.6% of the participants as brucellosis symptoms. In terms of practices and attitudes, (187/218) 85.8% and (50.14/218) 23.0% of the participants confirmed that they consumed raw milk and raw meat, respectively. Almost all (214/218) 98.1% interviewees stated that blood consumption is forbidden. In case of suspicion of disease, (204/218) 93.6% maintained that they treated sick animals without a veterinary prescription, and (209/218) 95.9% left the carcasses in the wild. After contact with animals, (181/218) 83.3% washed their hands. Finally, (192/218) 88.3% would like to be informed about zoonoses. Conclusion: The level of knowledge about zoonotic diseases was low; a high percentage of shepherds followed inadequate hygiene practices and expressed concern about zoonoses. As a result, they are at risk of exposure to pathogens. It would be in the interest of public health to develop training programs for shepherds and livestock owners to mitigate zoonotic risks.