Modelling the Societal Burden of Anthrax in Cattle in Western Province of Zambia using a Modification of Disability Adjusted Life Years

  • Yolan Banda Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Chisoni Mumba, Dr Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Martin Simuunza, Prof Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia
  • Bernard Hang'ombe, Prof Department of Paraclinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
Keywords: DALYs, PALYs, YLD, YLL, Anthrax, Cattle, Zambia

Abstract

Abstract Background: Anthrax which is a naturally occurring zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis has been endemic in Western Zambia. This paper estimated the societal burden of anthrax on cattle using Productivity Adjusted Life Years (PALYs) among cattle farmers in the Western province of Zambia. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study design was used to collect data from cattle farmers in Mongu, Nalolo and Limulunga districts of Western Zambia. The Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALY) model for human populations was modified and adapted to the animal population model, PALYs, to estimate the societal burden of animal diseases. The integral calculator was used to estimate the societal disease burden of anthrax using PALY equations in three categories: PALYs without discounting and age weighting, PALYs with only discounting, and PALYs with discounting and age weighting. Results: The results showed that anthrax affected the quality of life years lived by animals significantly due to years lost due to disability (YLD) and Years lost due to premature death (YLL). A cow, bull and ox lost about 34%, 39% and 37% of productivity years of its life span due to anthrax. Anthrax further caused a total loss of 459,280.90 PALYs in the three districts. The quality of life is improved, and productivity losses are reduced to almost 0% for all three types of animals by introducing effective anthrax control measures in the absence of other adverse health conditions. Conclusion: Anthrax negatively affected livestock production due to significant loss of healthy years of life and loss of quality of life. Therefore, it is important to minimize the loss of cattle productivity through morbidity and mortality. Different intervention programs for the same disease can be compared in cost-effective analysis using PALYs as one of the tools. Therefore, societal burden of diseases should also be applied on top of other existing methods used to assess the impact of diseases on animals to enable policymakers to have a complete and comprehensive picture of the impact.

References

1. Baxter R. (1977). Anthrax in the dairy. Herd Journal of the South African Veterinary Association, 48 (4): 293–295.
2. Brian P, and Delia G. (2009). The impacts of livestock diseases and their control on growth and development processes that are pro-poor. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 27; 364(1530): 2643–2655.
3. Fisheries M, and CSO Z. (2019). The 2017/2018 Livestock and Aquaculture Census summary report.
4. Fully N, Tembo P, Muma J, Hang’ombe B, and Munyeme M. (2020). Clustering and spatial heterogeneity of bovine tuberculosis at the livestock/wildlife interface areas in Namwala District of Zambia. Veterinary World. 13(3): 478–488.
5. Hang’ombe M, Mwansa J, Muwowo S, Mulenga P, Kapina M, Musenga E, Squarre D, Mataa L, Thomas S, Ogawa H, Sawa H, and Higashi H. (2011). Human-animal anthrax outbreak in the Luangwa valley of Zambia. Tropical Doctor, 2012; 42(3) : 136–139.
6. Kasese-Chanda N, Mulubwe B, Mwale F. (2017). Outbreak of Anthrax among humans and cattle in Western province of Zambia, November 2016 to January 2017. Health Press Zambia Bull, 1(1):50-55.
7. Mapiye C, Chimonyo M, Dzama K, Raats J, and Mapekula M. (2009). Opportunities for improving Nguni cattle production in the smallholder farming systems of South Africa. Livestock Science, 124(1–3):196–204.
8. Mumba C, Barbara H, Muma, JB, Munyeme M, Sitali DC, Eystein S, and Rich KM. (2018).Practices of traditional beef farmers in their production and marketing of cattle in Zambia. Trop Anim Health Prod, 50(1): 49–62. https://doi.org/DOI 10.1007/s11250-017-1399-0.
9. Mwambi P, Mufunda J, Mwaba P, Kasese-Chanda N, Mumba C, and Kalumbi T. (2017). Cutaneous Anthrax outbreak in Chama District, Muchinga province, Zambia. Heal Press Zambia, 1(1):38–49.
10. Mwila N, Mumba C, Salih O, Sichibalo K, Simulundu E, Changula K, and Chitanga S. (2021). Estimating the societal disease burden of East Coast fever among rural cattle keeping households of Namwala District, Zambia. bioRxiv, 2021.
11. Otte MJ, and Chilonda P.(2022). Animal Health Economics: An introduction.https://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/resources/es/publications/agapubs/pproc01.pdf accessed on 30/05/2022
12. Salih O. (2014). Modelling the burden of disease for cattle. Available from:https://researchspaceukzn.ac.za/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10413/12491/Salih_Omran_Ahmed_Mohamed_2015.pdf;jsessionid=A34D7203F7512 EAFD74F1B119CBEDCBF? sequence=1.
13. Siamudaala VM. (2005). A study of the epidemiology and socio-economic impact of anthrax in luangwa valley in Zambia. https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/23036/00dissertation.pdf?sequence=1 accessed on 30/5/22.
14. Siamudaala V, Bwalya J, Munang’andu HM, Sinyangwe P, Banda F, Mweene A, Takada A, and Kida H. (2006). Ecology and epidemiology of anthrax in cattle and humans in Zambia. Jpn J Vet Res 54(1):15-23.
15. Torgerson PR. (2013). One world health: Socioeconomic burden and parasitic disease control priorities. Veterinary Parasitology, 195(3–4), 223–232.
16. Wudu T J, Monique M, Rushton J, Henk H. (2016). Cost-benefit analysis of foot and mouth disease control in Ethiopia Preventive Veterinary Medicine , 132, 67-82.
Published
2022-07-05
How to Cite
1.
Banda Y, Mumba C, Simuunza M, Hang’ombe B. Modelling the Societal Burden of Anthrax in Cattle in Western Province of Zambia using a Modification of Disability Adjusted Life Years. Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences [Internet]. 5Jul.2022 [cited 1Aug.2025];5(4). Available from: https://journals.unza.zm/index.php/JABS/article/view/709
Section
Veterinary Medicine