Browsing by Author "Marambio, Victor"

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    Exposure Practices to Animal-Origin Influenza A Virus at the Animal-Human Interface in Poultry and Swine Backyard Farms
    (2024) Baumberger, Cecilia; Anriquez, Gustavo; Galdames, Pablo; Palma, Tamara; Gonzalez, Maria Antonieta; Orozco, Katherinne; Oyarzun, Cristobal; Rojas, Camila; Marambio, Victor; Ruiz, Soledad; Di Pillo, Francisca; Schultz-Cherry, Stacey; Jimenez-Bluhm, Pedro; Rushton, Jonathan; Hamilton-West, Christopher
    Aim: Backyard production systems (BPS) represent an interface of contact between people, domestic and wild animals. Studies conducted in Chile during the last decade have provided extensive evidence of influenza A virus (IAV) circulation in backyard poultry and swine. The aim of this study was to investigate exposure practices of humans to animal-origin IAV within backyards. Methods and Results: Backyard farmers and household members of a total of 101 BPS in the proximity of wetlands located throughout Chile were interviewed between 2021 and 2022. Data were collected on the nature of human-animal contacts through participation in productive activities conducted within backyards, which was used to estimate participants' exposure risk to animal-origin IAV. Additionally, RT-qPCR and serologic IAV active surveillance was carried out in backyard animals. Multilinear regression was used to identify factors associated with exposure risk. Overall, IAV prevalence was 10.1% (95% CI: 4.7%-15.5%) and seroprevalence was 43.5% (95% CI: 29.7%-54.2%), both at the BPS level. Of 180 interviewees, 86% reported par-ticipating regularly in poultry or swine exposure activities within the backyard. A greater participation of male participants was observed when evaluating swine exposure activities, while female participation was greater for some activities related to poultry handling. Handwashing was a very extended hygiene practice; however, the use of personal protective equipment was uncom-mon. Different factors related to participants, households and backyards were associated with an increased exposure risk of participants to animal-origin IAV: (i) older age, (ii) less years of education, (iii) no off-farm work, (iv) greater backyard production value and (v) greater household consumption of backyard products.
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    Swine Backyard Production Systems in Central Chile: Characterizing Farm Structure, Animal Management, and Production Value Chain
    (2023) Baumberger, Cecilia; Di Pillo, Francisca; Galdames, Pablo; Oyarzun, Cristobal; Marambio, Victor; Jimenez-Bluhm, Pedro; Hamilton-West, Christopher
    Simple Summary The central zone of Chile concentrates an important number of backyard production systems, where poultry species are the most commonly present in backyards, followed by swine. There is compelling evidence in the scientific literature indicating the circulation of zoonotic pathogens among backyard poultry and swine. As a result, backyards represent a significant animal-human interface that warrants further investigation. Previous studies have characterized poultry backyards in Chile; however, swine backyards have not yet been characterized. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to characterize swine backyard production systems in the central zone of Chile and to describe the value chain of swine backyard production. We found that backyard production is carried out in the context of the low implementation of biosecurity measures and that in most backyards, there is no animal health management in place; thus, the sanitary status of pigs is usually unknown. Moreover, a significant amount of movement of animals and animal products between different backyards was identified. These results suggest that swine backyards have biosecurity deficiencies that may play an important role in the risk of introduction and dissemination of animal pathogens or the emergence of zoonotic diseases and therefore require special attention. Backyard production systems (BPS) are highly distributed in central Chile. While poultry BPS have been extensively characterized, there remains a notable gap in the characterization of swine BPS in central Chile. In addition, there is evidence that zoonotic pathogens, such as influenza A virus and Salmonella spp., are circulating in backyard poultry and pigs. A total of 358 BPS located in central Chile were evaluated between 2013 and 2015 by interviewing farm owners. Severe deficiencies in biosecurity measures were observed. The value chain of swine backyard production identified food, veterinary care (visits and products), and replacement or breeding animals as the primary inputs to the backyard. The most common origin of swine replacements was from outside the BPS (63%). The main outputs of the system were identified as meat and live animals, including piglets and breeding animals. In 16% of BPS, breeding animals were lent to other BPS, indicating the existence of animals and animal product movement in and out of backyard farms. Results from this study indicate that swine BPS in central Chile represents an animal-human interface that demands special attention for implementing targeted preventive measures to prevent the introduction and spread of animal pathogens and the emergence of zoonotic pathogens.