Human health risk assessment of informal slaughter by small-scale farmers in Gauteng Province, South Africa, Focusing on Brucella abortus

Abstract

BACKGROUND : Informal livestock slaughter is a common and legal practice in South Africa. It is performed by untrained community members permitted for cultural and religious purposes and for weddings, funerals, and subsistence. It is exempted from official meat inspection. OBJECTIVE : To investigate the practice of informal livestock slaughter in small-scale farmers in south and eastern Gauteng Province with regard to the frequency and the associated zoonotic risk factors with an emphasis on brucellosis. METHODOLOGY : During the period 2017–2018, structured interviews were conducted in one-on-one sessions during which a pre-tested questionnaire was completed. The questionnaire covered demographics, livestock information, informal slaughter practices, and veterinary public health and was delivered in one of the locally spoken languages. RESULTS : A total of 108 participants were enrolled in the study but not all questions were answered by each respondent. Informal livestock slaughter, predominantly of cattle, was commonly practiced by 64.0% of respondents at least once per year, with higher frequencies reported among younger individuals (< 36 years). In most cases (86.2%), the slaughter was performed by the farmers themselves or a family member. Cultural and religious events, weddings, or funerals were the most common purposes (59.0%), followed by home consumption (26.0%) and sale of products (9.1%). Personal protective equipment was used by 59.1% of participants overall, with the lowest usage observed among younger individuals (18–35 years; 38.5%). Offal, including lymph nodes, is consumed regularly and mostly cooked, but occasionally raw. Some respondents reported slaughtering sick animals and consuming abnormally appearing organ parts. CONCLUSIONS : This first structured survey of informal slaughter risk factors in Gauteng identified multiple practices that pose risks for the zoonotic transmission of Brucella and other food-borne pathogens associated with informal livestock slaughter. The findings highlight the need for education of livestock owners on the disease prevention and transmission as well as the development of relevant national guidelines alongside the Meat Safety Act