Land use, livestock, and disease

Abstract

Land use is a major driver of human disease risk. However, few studies have examined this driver in livestock, which are often integral components of human lives and livelihoods. We examined exposure risk of cattle in northern Kenya for three high-impact pathogens: Brucella spp. Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), and Leptospira spp.; across two land use types: private ranches (low intensity cattle ranching, high wildlife densities) and communal ranches (high intensity cattle ranching, low wildlife densities). Cattle on communal ranches had higher exposure risk for Brucella, while cattle on private ranches had higher Leptospira exposure risk. We suggest that variation in contact patterns between cattle and wildlife may be driving the the pathogen specific effects of land use on exposure observed. Ultimately, understanding relationships between land use and disease could help to target specific pathogens, host populations, and sites for disease management and control efforts.