title: Q fever risk across a dynamic, heterogeneous landscape in Laikipia County, Kenya.
abstract: Two hundred fourteen serosamples were collected from four livestock species across five ranches in Laikipia County, Kenya. Serological analysis for Coxiella burnetii (the causative agent for Q fever) showed a distinct seroprevalence gradient: the lowest in cattle, higher in sheep and goats, and the highest in camels. Laikipia-wide aerial counts show a recent increase in the camel population. One hundred fifty-five stakeholder interviews revealed concern among veterinary, medical, ranching, and conservation professionals about Q fever. Local pastoralists and persons employed as livestock keepers, in contrast, revealed no knowledge of the disease. This work raises questions about emerging Q fever risk in Laikipia County and offers a framework for further integrative disease research in East African mixed-use systems.
authors.affiliation: Anthropology Department, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Walker
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: DePuy
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Benka
authors.forename: Aimee
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Massey
authors.forename: Sharon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Deem
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kinnaird
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Salome
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wanyoike
authors.forename: Jesse
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Njoka
authors.forename: Bilal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Butt
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Foufopoulos
authors.forename: Joseph N S
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Eisenberg
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hardin
mesh_terms: D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission* / Q000652:urine*; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000382:microbiology*; D016997:Coxiella burnetii; D007630:Kenya; D058751:Livestock / Q000382:microbiology*; D011778:Q Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013045:Species Specificity