Risk factors for human anthrax outbreak in Kiruhura District, Southwestern Uganda: a population-based case control study
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Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
PAMJ - One Health
Abstract
Introduction: in 2018, Uganda experienced recurrent outbreaks of anthrax in both humans and livestock. We aimed to determine risk factors for human anthrax outbreak among residents of Kazo County, Kiruhura District, south-western Uganda. Methods: we conducted an unmatched case control study during March-April 2019. We defined a case as having had anthrax infection reported to be diagnosed by a healthcare worker in a resident of Kazo County between May 1st, 2018 and June 1st, 2018. A control was a resident in the nearest neighboring household who had not been diagnosed with anthrax between May 1st and June 1st and who had no symptoms suggestive of anthrax in May 2018. We obtained participants' sociodemographic, clinical and exposure characteristics using a structured questionnaire. We performed logistic regression to identify risk factors for human anthrax. Results: we recruited 101 participants (28 cases and 73 controls) with median age of 34 (IQR; 26-47) years; most (61.4%) were female. The overall attack rate was 1.9%, while the most common clinical manifestations were ulcers (96.4%) and fever (96.4%). The risk factors for contracting human anthrax were: slaughtering of anthrax infected animals (aOR=5.74; 95%CI: 1.39-23.8),
consuming of anthrax infected meat (aOR=6.4; 95%CI: 1.53- 6.7) and being male (aOR=12.8; 95%CI: 3.31-49.1).
Description
Keywords
Anthrax, risk factors, outbreak, Uganda, attack rate
Citation
Migisha, R., Mbatidde, I., Agaba, D. C., Turyakira, E., Tumwine, G., Byaruhanga, A., ... & Kirunda, H. (2021). Risk factors for human anthrax outbreak in Kiruhura District, Southwestern Uganda: a population-based case control study.