(3rd Left)-Associate Professor Lawrence Mugisha from Makerere University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) with Project team and key stakeholders at the Workshop on 27th February 2023.

Globally, Ticks are the most important vectors of disease-causing pathogens in domestic and wild animals and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are a major threat to both cattle and human health. Understanding the complex interactions within the microbiome is of great importance for understanding how tick-borne pathogens spread and cause disease.

Inspired by the need to generate evidence to inform policy around Tick borne Diseases, a team of researchers from Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Sweden, Makerere University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, conducted a study to assess diversity of ticks and their Tick Borne Diseases (TBDs) in Uganda from 2017 to 2021.  

The researchers organised a dissemination of the project results workshop to stakeholders from various sectors on 27^th February, 2023 held at the Centre for Biosecurity and Global Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University.

Associate Professor Lawrence Mugisha, Co-principal investigator explained that the purpose of the workshop was to share the results of the different research outputs and discuss various ways to re-package the results  for different target audiences and to influence policies for tick control strategies in Uganda.

Having set the scene for the workshop, Associate Professor Maja Malmberg, Principal investigator from Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Sweden provided a virtual overview of the Project tilted; Ticks and Tick Borne Diseases (TBDs) in Africa. She noted that the overall purpose of the project was to improve cattle health through increased understanding of the microbial community in cattle and ticks, by investigation of the microbial composition (microbiota) of ticks and how this affects transmission and disease development in cattle in Uganda. As part of the study, she noted that the research team were able to generate new knowledge on diversity of tick species, new viruses and highlighted public health implications of the findings.  The project had a capacity building component through supporting masters and PhD students and several technical workshop during the project period.

Various presentations of the results from different studies under the project were made by the project investigators and the PhD student Dr. Steven Balinadi who successfully graduated in 2022. 

Below are brief project results from the presentations made at the Workshop;

• A total of 15 different tick species were identified in the five study districts of Kasese, Hoima, Soroti, Gulu and Moroto representing different ecological zones. They also reported high tick burden on cattle from all the study districts. They found out the tick species R. appendiculatus (the brown ear tick), the vector for the causative agent for East Coast Fever (“Amashuwo”, “Amakebe”) was most common tick on cattle in all districts (51.79%) followed by A. variegatum (14.33%) and R. evertsi  (8.23%) and continue to dominate tick distribution in Uganda. The team also found ticks that were not known to be in Uganda including Rhipicephalus afranicus that was recently described in South Africa and Rhipicephalus microplus, expanding its geographical zones found ion cattle in Gulu and Soroti districts.
• The team further identified 8 viruses from the blood of cattle suspected to be transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes belonging to 4 viral families (Flaviviridae, Peribunyaviridae, Reoviridae and Rhabdoviridae) and 6 genera (Hepacivirus, Pestivirus, Orthobunyavirus, Coltivirus, Dinovernavirus and Ephemerovirus) among 175 studied cattle. Four of the viruses were new and were tentatively named Zikole virus (Family: Flaviviridae), Zeboroti virus (Family: Reoviridae), Zebtine virus (Family: Rhabdoviridae) and Kokolu virus (Family:Rhabdoviridae). This contributes to the body of the new knowledge in the field of virology. However, they were quick to mention the public implications of all viruses and new viruses remains to be understood through more studies.
• Part of the research assessed cattle exposure to Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) Virus a zoonotic disease of public health importance transmitted by ticks. The study found that 74% (500) of the studied cattle from five districts were exposed to the virus. This raises a big concern a potential source of infections to humans.  This concern is verified by the results of investigating 32 CCHF confirmed human cases of the recorded outbreaks between 2013 and 2019. Of the 32 hospitalised human CCHF cases, 32% of them died. Most cases presented with fever (93.8%), followed by hemorrhage (81.3%), headache (78.1%), fatigue (68.8%), vomiting (68.8%) and myalgia (65.6%) and other symptoms.  The researchers were able to characterise the CCHF viruses circulating in Uganda, a break through that can inform vaccine and diagnostic tool development.
• Further, looking at the ticks themselves using advanced technologies, ticks were found to carry several viruses most of the unknown and new. The team has at least found 20 new viruses in the ticks and the team will be conducting further studies to understand the implications of the so many viruses in relation to animal and human health.

The team presented potential Public Health Implications of their study results as:

•  High diversity and burden of ticks infesting cattle in Uganda has potential for a high pathogen load

• Evidence for range expansion of some tick species; risk for disease emergence in naïve animal and human populations around the country

• Cattle in Uganda are harbouring numerous viruses including novel ones

• CCHF is widespread in Uganda, including where human cases have not been detected. And its endemicity does not overlap with the spatial distribution of Hyalomma ticks

 Participants of the stakeholder’s dissemination workshop discussed the results and provided feedback. Out of the discussion, it was generally agreed and proposed that deliberate actions need to be undertaken if we are to address the current challenges posed by ticks and their tick-borne diseases. Participants emphasised the following areas that require immediate attention;

• The need for improved surveillance and diagnostic tools for emerging viruses in animals to prevent their transmission to humans.
• The need for the Government  investment in advanced technologies and equipment for improved surveillance, detection, and rapid response to any emerging virus outbreak from ticks and their pathogens.
• There is need to understand the cultural and social context: Therefore, any policy or intervention aimed at preventing disease transmission should take into account the cultural and social practices of the communities involved.
• The government should engage with local communities, listen to their concerns, and incorporate their knowledge and perspectives in developing disease control policies.
• The government should prioritize research and development of strategies to control ticks and prevent tick-borne diseases in both humans and animals. This includes conducting awareness campaigns, developing policies, and providing resources to prevent tick infestation and tick-borne diseases.
• Employ One Health approach: that  considers the interactions between human, animal, and environmental health.
• More funding and support for tick-borne disease research and control programs in Uganda and other high-risk areas.
• Integration of livestock and human health surveillance and control measures to prevent the transmission of tick-borne diseases.
• Development of community-based tick control strategies that incorporate local knowledge and practices to increase their relevance and effectiveness.
• Collaboration between government agencies, researchers, and communities to implement effective tick-borne disease control strategies.

In his remarks at the engagement, Dr. Kenneth Mugabi, a Senior Veterinary Officer at Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries congratulated the team of researchers for undertaking the value based research adding that it will help inform policy to address ticks and tick borne diseases in the country. He equally noted the urgent need for more innovation to discover and develop vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics options to respond to the increasing challenges of ticks and tick-borne diseases. Additionally he equally thanked the study funders for partnering with Makerere University to undertake the study.

 Dr. Ekwaro Obuku from Makerere University College of Health Sciences in his emphasized the importance of researchers tailoring research in a way that it speaks to policy makers adding that researchers should use all avenue to influence policy initiatives for public good. He equally proposed for the need for researchers to have a data bank around Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases.

The stakeholders’ workshop attracted over 70 participants ranging from government officials, academia, media, farmers and one- health officials among others.

 Key issues discussed by participants include; Policy brief  to address  Tick and Tick-Borne diseases, Development of community-based tick control strategies that incorporate local knowledge and practices, one-health approach in addressing ticks and Tick-Borne diseases ,Importance of engagement with local communities affected by ticks and Tick-Borne ,the need for effective communication by researchers to influence policy, need to develop diagnostic tools and model based surveillance for early detection and early warning about Vector borne diseases among others

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