Conference Abstract | Volume 8, Abstract ELIC2025331 (Poster 018) | Published: 29 Jul 2025
Okpala Chika Catherine1,2,&, Okea Rita Azuka1, Aghogho Bekederemo Orighomisan1, Akinola Kabiru1, Okenyi Collins Chimezie1,2, Kio Isaac3, Ihekerenma Okoli4, Yetunde Abioye5, Evelyn Nwachukwu6, Ayodele Majekodunmi7,8, Oluwarore Kikiope Oluwafikemi9,10, Olayinka Airat Badmus11,12, Uzoke Jacinta Ijeoma13, Orogwu Sampson14, Felix Ugwumba Okocha11, Nwanga Ephraim15, Abiodun Jumoke Egwuenu5,16
1Federal Ministry of Environment, Abuja, Nigeria, 2Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, Abuja, Nigeria, 3Environmental Health Council of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria, 4Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Abuja, 5Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Abuja, 6Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Abuja, Nigeria, 7Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Abuja, Nigeria, 8Ajisefini Consulting, Abuja, Nigeria, 9World Health Organization, Abuja, Nigeria, 10One Health and Development Initiative, Abuja, Nigeria, 11Breakthrough ACTION‑Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria, 12Afrihealth for Social Development and Impact, Abuja, Nirgeria, 13State Ministry of Environment, Ebonyi, Ebonyi State, Nigeria, 14State Ministry of Health, Ebonyi, Ebonyi State, Nigeria, 15State Ministry of Agriculture, Ebonyi, Ebonyi State, Nigeria, 16Charite Universitatmedizin, Berlin, Germany
&Corresponding author: Okpala Chika Catherine, Federal Ministry of Environment, Abuja, Nigeria, Email: chizodos@yahoo.co.nz
Received: 11 May 2025, Accepted: 09 Jul 2025, Published: 29 Jul 2025
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Environmental Health
Keywords: Lassa fever, One Health, Environmental health, Rodent control, Risk communication
©Okpala Chika Catherine et al Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Okpala Chika Catherine et al Multisectoral environmental health and rodent control intervention for Lassa fever mitigation in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2025;8(ConfProc5):00162. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO5-00162
Ebonyi State is a Lassa fever hotspot in Nigeria as it is the highest burdened South-eastern State, with a case fatality of 18.1%. Close rodent-human interactions drives Lassa fever virus transmission. We implemented a range of One Health interventions and evaluated the outputs across three high-risk local government areas (LGAs) in May 2024: Abakaliki, Ezza North, and Izzi.
Advocacy sessions, training for health workers, rodent hotspot mapping, and de-ratization using baited rodenticides were implemented. We held advocacy sessions with the State Ministries of Health, Agriculture and Environment and town hall engagement meetings with key state community structures through dialogue sessions. Trainings on rodent ecology, Lassa virus transmission pathways, and integrated vector control techniques were conducted for One Health surveillance officers (Environmental Health Officers (EHOs), health educators, veterinary and public health surveillance officers). We identified rodent hotspots in three Local Government Areas (LGAs) and utilized bait formulations for de-ratization, specifying the types of rats that were present. We thematically analysed the themes from the dialogues and engagement meetings. At the training, pre- and post-tests were used to assess knowledge gained. For data from the rodent hotspot mapping, we computed frequencies and proportions.
Over 150 community members participated in dialogues on infection prevention, hygiene, and rodent control. Post-training assessments showed a 28% increase in knowledge of rodent ecology, Lassa virus transmission, and integrated vector control techniques. We mapped and targeted markets, rice mills, garri processing areas and stores for deratization. We recovered 149 rats, with 47 (31.5%) identified as Mastomys natalensis and Izzi LGA recorded the highest rat burden.
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