Assessing Behavioral Risk Factors Driving Zoonotic Spillover Among High-risk Populations in Myanmar.

Area of Science:

• One Health
• Epidemiology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Zoonotic diseases pose a growing global threat, exacerbated by insufficient understanding of behavioral risks in vulnerable communities, particularly in regions like Myanmar.
• Limited knowledge of risk behaviors hinders effective surveillance and reporting of zoonotic disease outbreaks at human-animal interfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate behavioral risks associated with zoonotic disease transmission in Myanmar.
• To identify specific animal contact activities and practices that increase the risk of pathogen spillover.
• To assess the association between self-reported unusual illnesses and animal contact behaviors.

Main Methods:

• A behavioral surveillance strategy was implemented in Hpa-An and Hmawbi, Southern Myanmar.
• A questionnaire assessed animal exposures, interaction details, and self-reported unusual illnesses among high-risk populations.
• Statistical analyses identified associations between animal contact activities, risk factors, and reported symptoms.

Main Results:

• Poultry contact was highly prevalent (91.1%), followed by rodents (57.8%) and swine (17.9%).
• Participants reporting unusual symptoms were significantly more likely to have sold dead animals, slaughtered, raised, handled, or eaten sick/dead animals.
• Involvement in animal production or animal-related livelihoods increased the odds of reporting unusual symptoms.

Conclusions:

• High levels of human-animal interaction in the study sites present significant risks for zoonotic disease transmission.
• Specific behaviors, such as direct animal handling and consumption of sick/dead animals, are key risk factors for zoonotic spillover.
• Findings provide crucial behavioral data for developing targeted interventions to mitigate zoonotic disease risks at human-animal interfaces in Myanmar.