This study is a component of a large research project on five major neglected zoonotic diseases (NZDs) including cystic echinococcosis and was undertaken in the Province of Sidi Kacem over a period of four years (April 2009-March 2013). Questionnaires were administered at community level in a total of 27 communes and visits were made to all of the 10 abattoirs situated in the Province, to collect qualitative data on determinants of transmission for disease in humans and animals. More specifically, community knowledge, attitudes and practices related to cystic echinococcosis were assessed, as well as the extent to which local customs and behaviours may promote transmission. Abattoir infrastructure and practices, and their role in perpetuating disease transmission were also critically evaluated. The results show that only 50 % of people have heard of the disease, and of those, only 21 % are aware of the dog’s role in disease transmission. Sixty-seven per cent of respondents stated that dogs are fed ruminant organs deemed unfit for human consumption. Owned dogs have access to the family home, including the kitchen, in 39 % of households. The extent of this close proximity between humans and animals is even more pertinent when one considers that dogs are omnipresent in the community, with an average of 1.8 dogs owned per household. The unrestricted access of dogs to abattoirs is a huge issue, which further promotes disease transmission. This study would suggest that the high prevalence of cystic echinococcosis in humans and animals in Morocco is largely due to three factors: 1) abundance of dogs 2) engagement in risky behaviour of the local population and 3) poor abattoir infrastructure and practices. This has serious implications in terms of the socio-economic impact of the disease, especially for rural poor communities.

Recent studies that investigated the origins of SRLV strains offered new insights into their distribution among domestic ruminants. The aim of the study was to investigate SRLV circulation in Morocco. A total of 51 farms were selected in different geographical locations and tested by screening and genotyping ELISA. Whole blood was used for DNA extraction and nested gag PCR. The sample size allowed for an estimation of prevalence lower than 20% (CI 95%). Surprisingly, a large proportion of screening-positive samples were not correctly serotyped. Sanger and NGS amplicon sequencing approaches allowed us to obtain new sequences even from difficult-to-amplify samples. The serological data support the evidence of an intrinsic difficulty of SRLV to spread, likely due to management practices. The low rate of success by genotyping ELISA led us to suppose that divergent strains might have escaped from diagnostic tools, as partially confirmed by the evidence of an A subtype carrying a mismatch in serotyping epitope. The sequence analysis revealed the circulation of novel B and recombinant A/B subtypes. This study highlights the importance of monitoring viral sequences and their evolution to develop specific diagnostic tests, particularly in countries where control measures are in place.

The present study is the first to investigate Border disease caused by the sheep pestivirus (SPV) in sheep herds in Morocco. Sero‐epidemiological investigations were carried out in six regions of the Kingdom, known as important in terms of sheep breeding. A total of 760 blood samples were collected including aborted ewes from 28 randomly selected farms. The samples were analysed, for the determination of anti‐pestivirus antibodies, using indirect ELISA technique. Next, reverse transcriptase PCR (RT‐PCR) was conducted on serologically negative samples to identify possible persistently infected (PI) animals, through detection of specific RNA fragment. The results revealed an overall SPV seroprevalence in studied areas of 28.9%. The difference in seroprevalence between the six investigated regions was not statistically significant (p>0.05) and varied slightly from 20.9% to 37.5%. Furthermore, 93% of investigated farms were affected with an average seroprevalence of 22.7% (with a variation of 1%–74%). RT‐PCR results were all negative, indicating the absence of PI animals in the tested samples. Nevertheless, the present study revealed that SPV is endemic in Morocco.

The polygamous mating system of free-ranging domestic dogs (FRDs) contrasts with the social monogamy typical of gray wolves and all other wild canids. The transition to polygamy in dogs could have been initiated by a shift from apex predator to human commensal during the early domestication stages. Here, we test this hypothesis by investigating the characteristics of the FRD mating system that could have been important for domestication. This inference is based on genome-wide Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) data from three geographically distinct populations, including behavioral data for one of them. The reconstructed genealogies form a wide network of kinship relationships resulting from the frequent occurrence of maternal and paternal half-siblings, reflecting male and female polygamy. Reproductive success is positively correlated with the strength of social interactions and the number of connections with opposite-sex individuals, implying a preference toward familiar mates and the importance of social relationships in determining mating patterns. This is supported by a nonrandom distribution of reproductive partners and a reproductive skew in males and females. Multiple paternity within litters points to female polygamy within a single estrus, and sexual size dimorphism implies sexual selection favoring larger males. Physiological changes resulting from polygamy, including increased male fertility and reduced breeding seasonality, could have facilitated the natural spread of novel adaptive traits and limited the introgression from wolves. The change in reproductive patterns, typically considered a consequence of selective breeding, could instead have occurred naturally in response to the dietary niche change, triggering further changes that facilitated the domestication process.