ArticlePloS one2018
Spatio-temporal epidemiology of anthrax in Hippopotamus amphibious in Queen Elizabeth Protected Area, Uganda.
Article in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.
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13 citing papers in PubMed, 29 citations in OpenAlex.
- Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding anthrax among affected communities, Kazo district, South-Western uganda, May 2022.BMC public health · 2025Article
- The potential distribution of Bacillus anthracis suitability across Uganda using INLA.Scientific reports · 2022Article
- Spatio-temporal patterns of lumpy skin disease outbreaks in dairy farms in northeastern Thailand.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2022Article
- Cutaneous anthrax associated with handling carcasses of animals that died suddenly of unknown cause: Arua District, Uganda, January 2015-August 2017.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2021Article
- Modeling the Potential Future Distribution of Anthrax Outbreaks under Multiple Climate Change Scenarios for Kenya.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Application of long-term collected data for conservation: Spatio-temporal patterns of mortality in Japanese serow.The Journal of veterinary medical science · 2021Article
- Preparedness of health care systems for Ebola outbreak response in Kasese and Rubirizi districts, Western Uganda.BMC public health · 2021Article
- Risk factors and spatio-temporal patterns of livestock anthrax in Khuvsgul Province, Mongolia.PloS one · 2021Article
- Development of ELISA based on Bacillus anthracis capsule biosynthesis protein CapA for naturally acquired antibodies against anthrax.PloS one · 2021Article
- Potential distributions of Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus cereus biovar anthracis causing anthrax in Africa.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2020Article
- Perceptions and Practices towards Anthrax in Selected Agricultural Communities in Arua District, Uganda.Journal of tropical medicine · 2020Review
- Environmental determinants influencing anthrax distribution in Queen Elizabeth Protected Area, Western Uganda.PloS one · 2020Article
- Spatial ecology of male hippopotamus in a changing watershed.Scientific reports · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAnthrax is a zoonotic disease primarily of herbivores, caused by Bacillus anthracis, a bacterium with diverse geographical and global distribution. Globally, livestock outbreaks have declined but in Africa significant outbreaks continue to occur with most countries still categorized as enzootic, hyper endemic or sporadic. Uganda experiences sporadic human and livestock cases. Severe large-scale outbreaks occur periodically in hippos (Hippopotamus amphibious) at Queen Elizabeth Protected Area, where in 2004/2005 and 2010 anthrax killed 437 hippos. Ecological drivers of these outbreaks and potential of hippos to maintain anthrax in the ecosystem remain unknown. This study aimed to describe spatio-temporal patterns of anthrax among hippos; examine significant trends associated with case distributions; and generate hypotheses for investigation of ecological drivers of anthrax.
methodsSpatio-temporal patterns of 317 hippo cases in 2004/5 and 137 in 2010 were analyzed. QGIS was used to examine case distributions; Spearman's nonparametric tests to determine correlations between cases and at-risk hippo populations; permutation models of the spatial scan statistics to examine spatio-temporal clustering of cases; directional tests to determine directionality in epidemic movements; and standard epidemic curves to determine patterns of epidemic propagation. KEY
findingsResults showed hippopotamus cases extensively distributed along water shorelines with strong positive correlations (p<0.01) between cases and at-risk populations. Significant (p<0.001) spatio-temporal clustering of cases occurred throughout the epidemics, pointing towards a defined source. Significant directional epidemic spread was detected along water flow gradient (206.6°) in 2004/5 and against flow gradient (20.4°) in 2010. Temporal distributions showed clustered pulsed epidemic waves.
conclusionThese findings suggest mixed point-source propagated pattern of epidemic spread amongst hippos and points to likelihood of indirect spread of anthrax spores between hippos mediated by their social behaviour, forces of water flow, and persistent presence of infectious carcasses amidst schools. This information sheds light on the epidemiology of anthrax in highly social wildlife, can help drive insight into disease control, wildlife conservation, and tourism management, but highlights the need for analytical and longitudinal studies aimed at clarifying the hypotheses.
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