Work

Modeling the impact of short-term displacement of domestic animals on the transmission dynamics of brucellosis

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Brucellosis, a zoonotic disease caused by bacteria of the genus \textit{Brucella}, poses significant public health and economic challenges worldwide. In this paper, we formulate a two-patch deterministic model to investigate the impact of short-term displacement of domestic animals on the spread of brucellosis within and between patches with heterogeneous risk of infection. The model analysis is performed, and the basic reproduction number $(R_0)$ is computed and used in the stability analysis of equilibria. The disease-free equilibrium is stable when $R_0 < 1$, and the endemic equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable when $R_0 \geq 1$. A global sensitivity analysis was performed using Latin Hypercube Sampling approach to check the impact of model parameters over a certain period of time. Numerical simulation results indicate that the increase in time spent by domestic animals in high-risk areas, such as communal grazing areas or wildlife interfaces, significantly increases the spread of infections. This underscores the importance of considering short-term animal movements to communal grazing areas and water points in brucellosis management strategies. It equips policymakers and stakeholders with actionable insights to combat the burden of the disease.

Source: Heliyon

DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e40255

Authors: Rehema Msuya, Silas Mirau, Nkuba Nyerere, Isambi Mbalawata

Institutions: Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Sokoine University of Agriculture, African Institute for Mathematical Sciences

Language: English

Topic: Brucella: diagnosis, epidemiology, treatment

Subfield: Small Animals

Field: Veterinary

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,100