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Miller LN, Saadawi WK, Hamouda WB, Elgari AS, Abdulkarim EA, Lmrabet AMM, Elbukhmari AE, Harabech K, Jemai AA, Farhat M, Al-Azab R, Zorgani A, Elamher O, Al Sanouri T, Standley CJ, Sorrell EM. Assessing One Health capacities for transboundary zoonotic diseases at the Libya-Tunisia border. One Health Outlook 2024; 6:3. [PMID: 38504381 PMCID: PMC10953064 DOI: 10.1186/s42522-024-00101-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The dynamic nature of zoonotic emergence, spillover and spread necessitates multisectoral coordination beyond national borders to encompass cross-boundary and regional cooperation. Designated points of entry (POEs), specifically ground crossings, serve as critical locales for establishing and maintaining robust prevention, detection, notification, coordination, and response mechanisms to transboundary emerging and re-emerging disease threats. In order to better assess One Health capacities for transboundary zoonotic diseases (TZD) prevention, detection and response we adapted an existing tool, One Health Systems Assessment for Priority Zoonoses (OHSAPZ), for a cross-border, POE setting in North Africa. METHODS The One Health Transboundary Assessment for Priority Zoonoses (OHTAPZ) tool was used to support prioritization of transboundary zoonoses and analyze operational capacities between national and subnational-level human and animal health stakeholders from Libya and Tunisia. Country partners jointly identified and prioritized five TZDs of concern. Case study scenarios for each priority pathogen were used to elicit current disease operations, as well as multisectoral and bilateral engagement networks. Finally, a gap analysis was performed to determine bilateral strengths and weaknesses to TZDs. RESULTS The five priority TZDs jointly confirmed to undergo One Health assessment were avian influenza (low and high pathogenic strains); brucellosis; Rift Valley fever; Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever; and rabies. Using the qualitative information collected, a transboundary systems map schematic was developed outlining the movement of human patients, animals, diagnostic samples, and routes of communication and coordination both within and between countries for zoonotic diseases. CONCLUSIONS Analysis of current operations (prevention, detection, surveillance, laboratory capacity, quarantine/isolation, and response) and the resulting transboundary systems map schematic helped identify existing capacity strengths for certain priority pathogens, as well as challenges to timely information-sharing and coordination. We developed targeted recommendations to address these limitations for joint action planning between Libya and Tunisia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren N Miller
- Center for Global Health Science and Security, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Wafa Ben Hamouda
- General Directorate for Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, Tunis, Tunisia
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Ammar Ali Jemai
- CDRA, Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Milad Farhat
- National Centre for Animal Health, Tripoli, Libya
| | - Rasha Al-Azab
- Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network, Amman, Jordan
| | | | - Omar Elamher
- National Centre for Disease Control, Tripoli, Libya
| | | | - Claire J Standley
- Center for Global Health Science and Security, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Erin M Sorrell
- Center for Health Security, Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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