Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40420030›Full record

ArticleBMC veterinary research2025

Spatial and temporal analysis of Rift Valley fever outbreaks in livestock in Uganda: a retrospective study from 2013 to 2022.

Eugene Arinaitwe, David Kalenzi Atuhaire, Emmanuel Hasahya, Nakanjako Gladys K, Robert Mwebe, Gerald Nizeyimana, Mathias Afayoa, Frank Norbert Mwiine, Joseph Erume

Abstract read
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Article in BMC veterinary research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Eugene ArinaitweNational Animal Disease Diagnostics and Epidemiology Centre (NADDEC), Entebbe, Uganda. arieugene@yahoo.com.
David Kalenzi AtuhaireCollege of Veterinary Medicine Animal Resources and Biosecurity, (COVAB), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Emmanuel HasahyaInternational Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
Nakanjako Gladys KNational Animal Disease Diagnostics and Epidemiology Centre (NADDEC), Entebbe, Uganda.
Robert MwebeNational Animal Disease Diagnostics and Epidemiology Centre (NADDEC), Entebbe, Uganda.
Gerald NizeyimanaCollege of Veterinary Medicine Animal Resources and Biosecurity, (COVAB), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Mathias AfayoaCollege of Veterinary Medicine Animal Resources and Biosecurity, (COVAB), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Frank Norbert MwiineCollege of Veterinary Medicine Animal Resources and Biosecurity, (COVAB), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Joseph ErumeCollege of Veterinary Medicine Animal Resources and Biosecurity, (COVAB), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRift Valley fever (RVF) is a zoonotic disease caused by the Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), primarily affecting livestock and transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. First detected in Kenya in 1930, RVF has since spread across Africa, including Uganda, and to the Arabian Peninsula. Uganda reported its first human cases of RVF in 1968, with sporadic outbreaks continuing since the significant outbreak in 2016, particularly in regions with high livestock populations. Although RVFV was detected in mosquitoes in Uganda as early as 1944, the spatial and temporal distribution of RVF outbreaks has not been thoroughly documented. This study aimed to analyze trends in RVF outbreaks across Uganda from 2013 to 2022 to provide insights for effective control measures. A retrospective study was conducted utilizing archived RVF data from NADDEC, along with rainfall and temperature data from the Uganda Meteorological Centre. Maps were generated using QGIS software to illustrate the spatial distribution of RVF outbreaks. The distribution and trends were analyzed using the R programming language.

resultsDuring the study period, RVF outbreaks were reported in 74.1% of districts surveyed, representing 27.2% of all districts nationwide. The overall RVF seropositivity among tested animals was found to be 13.02% [95% CI: 12.4-13.7%], with bovine exhibiting the highest RVF seropositivity among the commonly raised species, such as cattle, goats and sheep. The year 2017 recorded the highest RVF seropositivity at 19.6%. Notably, the central region had the highest RVF seropositivity at 17.7% [95% CI: 15.8-19.7%] while the eastern region recorded the lowest at 4.6%.

conclusionThis analysis provides crucial insights into the spatial and temporal patterns of RVF outbreaks in Uganda, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions, strengthened surveillance, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Despite significant number of studies on RVF outbreaks and prevalence over recent years, little is known about the virus's maintenance mechanisms in the absence of visible outbreaks. Potential reservoirs, vector dynamics, and environmental factors that facilitate its survival and re-emergence remain poorly characterized. Addressing these gaps is critical to improving early warning systems, guiding targeted surveillance, and implementing effective control measures to mitigate future outbreaks.

Indexed as

Disease OutbreaksLivestockRift Valley FeverAnimalsCattleCattle DiseasesGoat DiseasesGoatsRetrospective StudiesRift Valley fever virusSheepSheep DiseasesSpatio-Temporal AnalysisUgandaLivestockPublic healthRetrospective studyRift Valley feverZoonotic disease

Identifiers

PMID40420030
PMCPMC12105236

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.