Livestock Systems

Investigating and developing interventions to mitigate food borne parasitic disease in production animals in Lao PDR

Farmer with pigs
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Map of Laos

Overview

This project aims to simultaneously improve human health and livestock productivity through reduced transmission of Taenia solium between livestock and smallholder farmers.

This will be achieved by implementing and evaluating joint human-animal intervention strategies which provide best practice for mitigating transmission, leading to reduced parasitic disease in people and their pigs and an increase in production animal related income.

Expected project outcomes

  • Developing criteria for identifying high risk villages for Food Borne Parasitic Disease (FBPD) involving production animals in northern Laos. 
  • Implementing and evaluating appropriate joint human and animal interventions to reduce disease transmission between livestock and small holder farmer communities. 
  • Assess the cost-effectiveness of a joint human-animal approach to the control of FBPD. 
  • Validate current diagnostic techniques for targeting FBPD in low middle income countries.