Introduction and dissemination of newcastle disease virus in north Cameroon : models and qualitative risk analysis

In North-Cameroon, Newcastle disease (ND) is responsible for 90% of mortalities in backyard poultry. In spite of the economic importance of this disease, there is no strategy of vaccination. The tools of participatory epidemiology allowed us to better understand the possibilities of introduction and spread of the virus in a village and thus to better target surveillance and control. A qualitative risk analysis of introduction of the NDV made it possible to treat on a hierarchical basis the various possibilities of introduction of the NDV and to target the priority zones for vaccination. The participatory epidemiology approach gave room for the participation of poultry farmers in the process of sensitisation and communication on behavioural risk and also in the development of a strategy of vaccination. (Résumé d'auteur