Ecosystem Approaches for a Better Management of
Toxoplasmosis in Yunnan Province, China
Ecohealth 2012 conference, Kunming, China,15-18 October 2012
Wengui Li
College of Animal Science and Technology,
Yunnan Agricultural University

1. Toxoplasmosis-brief introduction
• Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic infection that infects a
large proportion of the world's population, but rarely
causes disease. Only certain people are at high risk of
severe or life-threatening.
• common symptoms of human:Painless swelling of the
lymph nodes/Headache/Malaise/Fatigue/Low-grade
fever
• Toxoplasma gondii is single-celled parasite that spends
most of its life cycle inside cats which can spread easily
to almost any other animal that shares the
environment with cats.

Risk Factors
• Eating undercooked, contaminated meat (especially
pork, lamb, and venison).
• Accidental ingestion of undercooked, contaminated
meat after handling it and not washing hands
thoroughly (Toxoplasma cannot be absorbed through
intact skin).
• Eating food that was contaminated by knives, utensils,
cutting boards and other foods that have had contact
with raw, contaminated meat.
• Drinking contaminated water
• Accidentally swallowing the parasite through contact
with cat feces that contain Toxoplasma.

2. Research objectives and hypothesis
• Hypothesis:
Toxoplasmosis causes abortions in both ruminants and
humans. In the case definition of sheep/goat abortion it will
thus be included for study.
• Objectives:
 To understand perception, awareness and behaviour of
stakeholders including potential risk groups towards these
zoonoses
 To investigate the impact of Tox in pilot communities,
hospitals
 To demonstrate how an integrated approach can help to
improve collaboration between different stakeholders and
contribute to a better control

3. Research methodology
• Ecosystem Approaches
• Trans-discipline: veterinary, Public health, social
scientist……
• Muti-level involved:
Province: YIEDC (CDC)/YAGAS/YAU/YASVI
County: CDC, Bureau of anima husbandry, Hospital
 Township/Village: cooperation/commercial/backyard
Farm;
village head, Vet, Butcher
 Direct and manage by ILRI specialist

Groups involved in EcoZD in China
Farmers , pet owners
Public health •cattle, buffalo, small ruminants,
authorities pigs, cats
(hospitals) •Small holder and cooperatives
Local administration
Vet officers & officers
Vet stations The problem:
Toxoplasmosis
in Yunnan
Consumer
Past unit, milk
vendors
Villagers (ethnic
Butchers
minorities)

Research methodology
• literature review (historical data)
• Focus Group Discussion: Farmers (both with and
without ruminate animals), Past unit
• Questionnaires: Farmers (Diary cooperation,
Backyard, Managers in commercial farm)
• Interviews (butchers, vets , PH)
• Outcome mapping
• Cross-section study: prevalence of T.gondii in
diary cow, diary water buffalo and diary goat

Outcome mapping VDC &
CC
Research
Associates Group of
EHRC CAM villagers
CHI
CMU
KKN
Students SH
EHRC Owners
ILRI JTV
UGM
Village
leaders IND LAO BPs
VTN
Rabies
Cadres BPs

Outcome Mapping
• Boundary Partner: Village
head, village vets and
doctors
• Outcome Challenge
Statement
• Strategies to change
working environment of
BPs: Capacity
Building/Sustainability/Pr
oject Management
• Progress Markers

4. Prevalence of Tox in Yiliang
and Mangshi (Seroepidemiology)
• Sampling: Milk samples:
Yiliang County: total 85. commercial dairy cow
farm/cooperation/backyard and dairy
Mangshi City: 36 backyard, 4 bulk milk samples from
cooperation and 1 commercial
•Methods:commercially IHA kit (Veterinary Research
Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences)

Table 1 Seroprevalence of T.gondii in 85
milk samples collected in Yiliang County
Township Village BY Diary goats BY Diary cow Dairy Dairy
Cooperative Commerci
Farms al Farms
Bei Gucheng 21 - - -
Che Tian - 10 - -
Feng Lai - 10 - -
Seroprevalence 33.3%(7/21) 30.0%(6/20) - -
Kuang Yuan 20 - - -
Jin Xing - 9 - -
Peng Lai - 9 - -
Seroprevalence 35.0%(7/20) 11.1%(2/18) - -
Total Sample size 41 38 5 1
Prevalence rate 34.1%(14/41) 21.1%(8/38) 0%(0/5) 0%(0/1)
Prevalence of T.Gondii in Yiliang County were 34.1% (14/41) in backyard
dairy goats, 21.1% (18/38) in backyard dairy cow, 5 selected Dairy
Cooperative Farms and 1 Dairy Commercial Farms were both negative.

Table 2 Seroprevalence of T.gondii in 41
milk samples collected in Mangshi City
Sampling Site Sample size Host Positive rate%
Manggan 6 Buffalo 0%(0/6)
Lagen 15 Buffalo 20%(3/15)
Fapa 15 Buffalo 0%(0/15)
Total 41 - 8.3%(3/36)
Cooperation farms 4 Buffalo 0%(0/4)
Commercial farm 1 Buffalo 0%(0/1)
6 samples collected from Manggan Village of Mangshi Township and 15 samples
collected in Fapa village of Fengping township were all negative, 3 positive found in
15 samples collected in Lagen village of Xungang, the overall seroprevalence was
8.3%(3/36). 5 bulk milk samples were all negative.

5. Some preliminary outcome:
 Poor knowledge on risk factors of zoonosis of respondent (Q, FGD, IDI)
 Unhealthy tradition like raw meat eating, lack of handling of waste.
 Lack of Communication and cooperation between different departments
 Capacity of team member and stakeholders improve effectively
“生皮”Sheng Pi
Raw (under cook) pork meat
-one of most popular
Traditional Foods in western
Yunnan Province
A typical toilet of Dai nationality in Mangshi, feces are directly
released into drainage system. July 24, 2012 by Li WG