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Human Exposure to Wild Animals in the Sankuru Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

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Abstract

Due to the high level of biological diversity in the Congo Basin and human population dependence on bushmeat, the DRC represents an ideal location for expanding knowledge on wild animal exposures and thus the potential for transmission of zoonotic pathogens. However, limited information exists on patterns and extent of contact with wildlife in such communities. Using a cross-sectional study, 14 villages in the Sankuru Province of the DRC were surveyed between August and September 2007. Villagers ≥ 1 year of age and at home of the time of the survey were eligible and enrolled to describe and assess factors associated with animal exposures (both activity and type of animal). Among respondents, 91% reported exposure to rodents, 89% to duikers, 78% to non-human primates (NHPs), and 32% reported contact with bats in the month prior to the survey. The most frequently reported activities included eating (95%), cooking (70%), and butchering or skinning of animals (55%). The activities and animals to which subjects had contact varied by sex and age. Moreover, we observed a high correlation of the same activities across animal types. In this and other populations that rely on bushmeat, there is a high frequency of exposure to multiple animal species through various modalities. In the event of future zoonotic disease outbreaks, effective public health interventions and campaigns that mitigate the risk of animal contact during outbreaks need to be broad to include various modes of contact and should be directed to both men and women across all age groups. As available information is limited, further studies are necessary to better understand the complex relationships and exposures individuals have with animals.

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Acknowledgements

Many individuals contributed to the design of this manuscript and data collection in the field. We thank the health care workers in the Sankuru Province and the DRC Ministry of Health for their surveillance efforts and assistance with the implementation of this study. We also thank Cyrus Sinai for assisting with Fig. 1 (DRC map) and Haroutune Armenian for comments and suggestions on the manuscript.

Funding

This work was supported by: the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Global Network for Women’s and Children’s Health Research; National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Division of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology (5K01AI074810-05); Fogarty International Center, Research and Policy for Infectious Disease Dynamics (RAPIDD) program of the Science and Technology Directorate, Department of Homeland Security; and the Faucett Catalyst Fund.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, 650 S Charles E Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Anne W. Rimoin, Vivian Helena Alfonso, Nicole A. Hoff & Reena H. Doshi

  2. Kinshasa School of Public Health, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Prime Mulembakani & Emile W. Okitolonda

  3. Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Nevile K. Kisalu

  4. Institut National de Recherche Biomedicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Jean-Jacques Muyembe

  5. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Linda L. Wright

Authors
  1. Anne W. Rimoin
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  2. Vivian Helena Alfonso
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  3. Nicole A. Hoff
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  4. Reena H. Doshi
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  5. Prime Mulembakani
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  6. Nevile K. Kisalu
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  7. Jean-Jacques Muyembe
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  8. Emile W. Okitolonda
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  9. Linda L. Wright
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Contributions

AWR designed the study, supervised all aspects of study implementation, collected the data, guided data analysis; VHA conducted data analysis, developed figures and tables; AWR and VHA wrote and edited the manuscript; NAH and RHD assisted with data cleaning and manuscript editing; PMM, NKK, EOW and JJM participated in study design and implementation; LLW participated in study design, implementation, and editing the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Anne W. Rimoin.

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The authors report no conflict of interest with regard to this publication.

Additional information

Linda L. Wright—Retired from National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health.

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Rimoin, A.W., Alfonso, V.H., Hoff, N.A. et al. Human Exposure to Wild Animals in the Sankuru Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. EcoHealth 14, 552–563 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-017-1262-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-017-1262-9

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