Mobilising community-based research on zoonotic infections: A case study of longitudinal cohorts in Vietnam

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Karen Saylors
Tue Ngo Tri
Toan Tran Khanh
Kiet Bach Tuan
Heiman FL Wertheim
Stephen Baker
Hoa Ngo Thi
Juliet E Bryant

Abstract

We initiated the Vietnam Initiative on Zoonotic Infections (VIZIONS) research program to better understand the epidemiology of disease transmission at the human–animal interface in Vietnamese rural communities and to integrate One Health approaches to disease surveillance. We established a longitudinal community cohort study of individuals with occupational exposure to animals, which involves concurrent targeted sampling from domestic livestock species and follow-up monitoring of human clinical cases. The project was implemented by government agencies at the provincial and district levels of the public health and animal health sectors in Vietnam. Engaging with rural communities builds response capacity at the grassroots level, and has improved dialogue between local stakeholders responsible for monitoring human and animal health. Here we describe the process of initiating participatory research and cohort field implementation over the first year in two study sites in Vietnam.

Keywords: Vietnam, participatory research, zoonoses, field epidemiology

Article Details

Section
Research articles (Refereed)
Author Biographies

Karen Saylors, Metabiota/Global Viral

Ph.D., Director of Behavioral Sciences

Juliet E Bryant, Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Major Overseas Programme, Vietnam

Ph.D, Virology