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Background: The human population of Somalia is vulnerable to zoonoses due to a high reliance on animal husbandry. This disease risk is exacerbated by relatively low income (poverty) and weak state capacity for health service delivery in the country as well as climate extremes and geopolitical instability in the region. To address this threat to public health efficiently and effectively, it is essential that all sectors have a common understanding of the priority zoonotic diseases of greatest concern to the country. Methods: Representatives from human, animal (domestic and wildlife), agriculture, and environmental health sectors undertook a multisectoral prioritization exercise using the One Health Zoonotic Disease Prioritization (OHZDP) tool developed by the United States CDC. The process involved: reviewing available literature and creating a longlist of zoonotic diseases for potential inclusion; developing and weighting criteria for establishing the importance of each zoonoses; formulating categorical questions (indicators) for each criteria; scoring each disease according to the criteria; and finally ranking the diseases based on the final score. Participants then brainstormed and suggested strategic action plans to prevent, and control prioritized zoonotic diseases. Results: Thirty-three zoonoses were initially considered for prioritization. Final criteria for ranking included: 1) socioeconomic impact (including sensitivity) in Somalia; 2) burden of disease in humans in Somalia); 3) availability of intervention in Somalia; 4) environmental factors/determinants; and 5) burden of disease in animals in Somalia. Following scoring of each zoonotic disease against these criteria, and further discussion of the OHZDP tool outputs, seven priority zoonoses were identified for Somalia: Rift Valley fever, Middle East respiratory syndrome, anthrax, trypanosomiasis, brucellosis, zoonotic enteric parasites (including Giardia and Cryptosporidium), and zoonotic influenza viruses. Conclusions: The final list of seven priority zoonotic diseases will serve as a foundation for strengthening One Health approaches for disease prevention and control in Somalia. It will be used to: shape improved multisectoral linkages for integrated surveillance systems and laboratory networks for improved human, animal, and environmental health; establish multisectoral public health emergency preparedness and response plans using One Health approaches; and enhance workforce capacity to prevent, control and respond to priority zoonotic diseases.

The burden of antimicrobial use in agricultural settings is one of the greatest challenges facing global health and food security in the modern era. Malaysian poultry operations are a relevant but understudied component of epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance. We aimed to identify the prevalence, resistance patterns, and risk factors associated with Salmonella isolates from poultry farms in three states of East Coast Peninsular Malaysia. Between 8 February 2019 and 23 February 2020, a total of 371 samples (cloacal swabs = 259; faecal = 84; Sewage = 14, Tap water = 14) was collected from poultry operations. Characteristics of the sampled farms and associated risk factors were obtained using semi-structured questionnaires. Presumptive Salmonella spp. isolates were identified based on colony morphology with subsequent biochemical and PCR confirmation. Susceptibility of isolates was tested against a panel of 12 antimicrobials using disk diffusion method. Our findings revealed that the proportion of Salmonella spp.-positive isolates across sample source were as following: cloacal swab (46.3%, 120/259); faecal (59.5%, 50/84); in tap water (14.3%, 2/14); and in sewage sample (35.7%, 5/14). Isolates from faecal (15.5%, 13/84), cloacal (1.2%, 3/259), and sewage (7.1%, 1/14) samples were significantly resistant to at least five classes of antimicrobials. Resistance to Sulfonamides class (52%, 92/177) was predominantly observed followed by tetracycline (39.5%, 70/177) and aminoglycosides (35.6%, 63/177). Multivariate regression analysis identified intensive management system (OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.00–2.40) as a leading driver of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) acquisition. A prevalence of resistance to common antimicrobials was recorded for sulfamethoxazole (33.9%), tetracycline (39.5%), and trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (37.9%). A close association between different risk factors and the prevalence of AMR of Salmonella strains suggests a concern over rising misuse of veterinary antimicrobials that may contribute to the emergence and evolution of multidrug-resistant pathogen isolates. One Health approach is recommended to achieve a positive health outcome for all species.

Antimicrobial resistance is of concern to global health security worldwide. We aimed to identify the prevalence, resistance patterns, and risk factors associated with Escherichia coli (E. coli) resistance from poultry farms in Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang states of east coast peninsular Malaysia. Between 8 February 2019 and 23 February 2020, a total of 371 samples (cloacal swabs = 259; faecal = 84; Sewage = 14, Tap water = 14) were collected. Characteristics of the sampled farms including management type, biosecurity, and history of disease were obtained using semi-structured questionnaire. Presumptive E. coli isolates were identified based on colony morphology with subsequent biochemical and PCR confirmation. Susceptibility of isolates was tested against a panel of 12 antimicrobials and interpreted alongside risk factor data obtained from the surveys. We isolated 717 E. coli samples from poultry and environmental samples. Our findings revealed that cloacal (17.8%, 46/259), faecal (22.6%, 19/84), sewage (14.3%, 2/14) and tap water (7.1%, 1/14) were significantly (p < 0.003) resistant to at least three classes of antimicrobials. Resistance to tetracycline class were predominantly observed in faecal samples (69%, 58/84), followed by cloacal (64.1%, 166/259), sewage (35.7%, 5/14), and tap water (7.1%, 1/84), respectively. Sewage water (OR = 7.22, 95% CI = 0.95–151.21) had significant association with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) acquisition. Multivariate regression analysis identified that the risk factors including sewage samples (OR = 7.43, 95% CI = 0.96–156.87) and farm size are leading drivers of E. coli antimicrobial resistance in the participating states of east coast peninsular Malaysia. We observed that the resistance patterns of E. coli isolates against 12 panel antimicrobials are generally similar in all selected states of east coast peninsular Malaysia. The highest prevalence of resistance was recorded in tetracycline (91.2%), oxytetracycline (89.1%), sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (73.1%), doxycycline (63%), and sulfamethoxazole (63%). A close association between different risk factors and the high prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant E. coli strains reflects increased exposure to resistant bacteria and suggests a concern over rising misuse of veterinary antimicrobials that may contribute to the future threat of emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogen isolates. Public health interventions to limit antimicrobial resistance need to be tailored to local poultry farm practices that affect bacterial transmission.