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Featured researches published by Kinzang Dukpa.


Preventive Veterinary Medicine | 2011

The seroprevalence of foot-and-mouth disease in the sedentary livestock herds in four districts of Bhutan

Kinzang Dukpa; I.D. Robertson; Trevor M. Ellis

Cross sectional serological surveys were conducted between March and December 2009 to determine the distribution of foot-and-mouth disease and also to validate the current passive surveillance system in Bhutan. A total of 1909 sera collected from cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs, from 485 herds in 106 villages, were tested using a foot-and-mouth disease non-structural protein 3ABC ELISA. The true prevalence at the animal-level for all species was 15% (95% CI: 13.5, 16.7) using the sensitivity (97.2%) and specificity (99.5%) for cattle. The true prevalence for cattle, goats, sheep and pigs were 17.6 (95% CI: 15.6, 19.5), 11.9% (95% CI: 5.6, 18.3), 11.9% (95% CI: 1.3, 25.1), and 1.9% (95% CI: 0.0, 3.8), respectively. The sub-districts that shared border with India had significantly (p=0.03) higher seroprevalence than the interior sub-districts. Villages located in the sub-tropical zone had significantly (p<0.0001) higher seroprevalence than those located at high altitude zones. Herds with known outbreaks of FMD were 3.6 times more likely (p<0.001) to be seropositive than those with no history of outbreaks of FMD. The study showed the usefulness of population-based serological surveys in detecting circulation of active infection in populations which were, until now, considered to be free of disease based on a passive surveillance system. The study also highlighted the benefits of conducting serological and questionnaire surveys, simultaneously, to ascertain the infection status of herds and animals. Some of the findings from this study could be considered for strengthening of the current FMD control program in Bhutan.


New Zealand Veterinary Journal | 2011

Risk factors for foot-and-mouth disease in sedentary livestock herds in selected villages in four regions of Bhutan.

Kinzang Dukpa; I.D. Robertson; John Edwards; Trevor M. Ellis; P Tshering; Karma Rinzin; Narapati Dahal

Abstract AIMS: To identify livestock husbandry practices important for transmission of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the herds and villages of four regions in Bhutan. To consider using this information to enhance the current prevention and control programme, a consideration arising from the failure to control FMD in spite of a control programme in place. METHODS: Between March and May 2009, 383 livestock farmers originating from 80 villages in four districts of Bhutan were interviewed, using a structured questionnaire, about the livestock management practices and incidence of FMD in their herds. Multivariable logistic regression was used to quantify the risk factors that predicted the outcome variable ‘farmer-diagnosed FMD in Bhutan’. RESULTS: Sixty-two percent (49/79) of the villages and 87/355 (24%) of herds surveyed had at least one outbreak of FMD within the 5 years preceding the survey. The odds of having FMD in a herd increased substantially (OR=39.2; p<0.0001) when cattle mixed with herds from other nearby villages compared with those where mixing did not occur. Those cattle herds mixing with six or more other herds within the same village were 5.3 times (p<0.0001) more likely to have had FMD than those mixed with fewer than six herds. Farmers who fed kitchen waste to cattle were 14.1 times (p<0.0001), and those who sent their animals for grazing in the forest were 3.1 times (p=0.014), more likely to report FMD in their herds than those who did not. Farmers who kept their cattle always housed in a shed during the day (OR=0.033) or at night (OR=0.29) were less likely to report FMD than those who did not (p<0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Mixing of cattle at grazing areas was identified as a risk factor for FMD. This indicates that spread from infected herds and villages, through close contact, could be an important source of disease for non-infected herds in Bhutan. Therefore, quarantining of early cases in affected herds or villages could reduce the spread of disease within and between villages. This study also highlights the potential role of feeding kitchen waste to cattle as a risk factor for FMD. The findings from this study could be considered for strengthening of the FMD control programme in Bhutan.


Emerging Infectious Diseases | 2016

Highly Pathogenic Reassortant Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Clade 2.3.2.1a in Poultry, Bhutan.

Atanaska Marinova-Petkova; John Franks; Sangay Tenzin; Narapati Dahal; Kinzang Dukpa; Jambay Dorjee; Mohammed Mostafa Feeroz; Jerold E. Rehg; Subrata Barman; Scott Krauss; Pamela McKenzie; Richard J. Webby; Robert G. Webster

Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1), clade 2.3.2.1a, with an H9-like polymerase basic protein 1 gene, isolated in Bhutan in 2012, replicated faster in vitro than its H5N1 parental genotype and was transmitted more efficiently in a chicken model. These properties likely help limit/eradicate outbreaks, combined with strict control measures.


Preventive Veterinary Medicine | 2012

Serological and clinical surveillance studies to validate reported foot-and-mouth disease free status in Tsirang district of Bhutan

Kinzang Dukpa; I.D. Robertson; Trevor M. Ellis

Serological and clinical studies were conducted between March 2009 and August 2010 to validate the foot-and-mouth disease free status of Tsirang district of Bhutan as determined by the countrys passive surveillance system. Randomised (first survey) and targeted (third survey) samplings, with subsequent follow-up samplings (second and fourth), were conducted on FMD-susceptible animals to detect the disease at a design prevalence of 25% and 20% at the individual animal-level and village-level, respectively. Sera from cattle, goats, pigs, and sheep were tested for the presence of non-structural protein (NSP) antibodies using two commercial (PrioCHECK(®) FMDV NS and CHEKIT(®)-FMD-3ABC-bo-ov) and one in-house NSP kit (c-ELISA, AAHL, Australia). The overall seropositivity (all species) at the animal-level was 3% (95% CI: 1.7, 4.8) and 3.5% (95% CI: 2.1, 5.4), for the randomised and targeted surveys, respectively. Except for one goat from the first survey, none of the small ruminants and pigs had NSP antibodies. The seropositives from the first and targeted surveys were distributed among 13 and 16 of 20 villages sampled, respectively. All repeat testing from the initial seropositive animals and their herd mates, for both the first and third surveys, were negative in the NSP tests 6-8 months later. Using the hypergeometric exact probability formula for two-stage analyses, the results enabled rejection of the null hypothesis and supported conclusion that the population was free from disease at the minimum expected prevalence of 20% at the 95.53% and 99.46% confidence levels, for the randomised and targeted surveys, respectively. Clinical surveillance also showed absence of disease or clinical signs suggestive of FMD. The few seropositives were likely to be false positives due to factors such as imperfect specificities of the tests and possible NSP-residues in the vaccines. The study has paved the way for initiation of zoning approaches for the progressive control of FMD in Bhutan.


Transboundary and Emerging Diseases | 2011

The epidemiological characteristics of the 2007 foot-and-mouth disease epidemic in Sarpang and Zhemgang Districts of Bhutan.

Kinzang Dukpa; I.D. Robertson; Trevor M. Ellis

This study was undertaken to compare the epidemiological characteristics of the 2007 foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in two districts of Sarpang and Zhemgang in Bhutan. Zhemgang district recorded a significantly higher cumulative incidence in all species (26.9%) as well as for cattle (29.3%) compared to Sarpang (6.5% and 7.4%, respectively). The case fatality for cattle in Zhemgang (14.1%) was significantly higher than in Sarpang (3.3%). A total of 404 cattle and 73 pigs died of FMD in Zhemgang, whereas only 21 cattle died in Sarpang. Although all four species were affected in Sarpang, no sheep or goats were affected in Zhemgang. Spatiotemporal analyses showed the existence of four significant clusters, a primary one in Sarpang and three secondary clusters in Zhemgang. The virus belonged to the PanAsia strain of the Middle-East South-Asia topotype (O serotype), and the strain was closely related to the PanAsia strain that circulated in Bhutan during the 2003/2004 outbreaks. The severity of FMD infection in Zhemgang district could be attributed to low vaccination coverage (36.5% in 2006 when compared to 87.6% in Sarpang), inadequate biosecurity, poor nursing care of the sick animals and delayed reporting to the livestock centre. This study highlights the ability of the PanAsia strain of the O serotype to cause unprecedented morbidity and mortality, especially in a naïve population. The study also highlights the benefits of maintaining good herd immunity in the susceptible population, through adequate vaccination coverage, to minimize the severity of infection and limit the spread of disease from infected to non-infected herds.


Preventive Veterinary Medicine | 2016

A cross-sectional survey of population demographics, the prevalence of major disease conditions and reason-specific proportional mortality of domestic cattle in the Kingdom of Bhutan.

Arata Hidano; Kinzang Dukpa; Karma Rinzin; Basant Sharma; Narapati Dahal; Mark Stevenson

We describe the population demographics, rudimentary measures of reproductive performance, the prevalence of major disease conditions and reason-specific proportional mortality for cattle owned by villagers in 16 dzongkhags (districts) in Bhutan based on the findings of a cross-sectional study carried out between March 2012 and May 2014. The animal health issues that were of concern for livestock owners are also identified. Study households were selected using a stratified, two-stage cluster design. Districts (dzongkhags) formed the strata. Villages within dzongkhags were the first sampling stage and households within villages the second sampling stage. All cattle within each selected household comprised the study population. Questionnaires were collected from 409 households with 1480 standing cattle. A total of 71.0% (95% CI 67.9%-74.1%) of the standing cattle population were female and the median age of cattle was 5 years (Q25 3 years; Q75 7 years). Exotic breeds of cattle (Jerseys, Brown Swiss, and their crosses) comprised 41.4% of the cattle population with local breeds making up the remainder. Although exotic breeds of cattle had a significantly lower age at first calving (median 4 years) compared to local breeds (median 4.8 years) there was no significant difference in the number of calving events per cow for the two breed groups. Diarrhoea was the most prevalent disease condition with 2.8 (95% CI 1.5-4.6) cases per 100 animals followed by bovine enzootic haematuria with 1.9 (95% CI 1.0-3.3) cases per 100 animals. The most frequently cited cause of death was misadventure (proportional mortality 26.2%, 95% CI 15.7%-39.2%) followed by old age (17.8%, 95% CI 9.5%-29.4%). A lack of access to adequate fodder and pasture was the animal health issue that was cited by interviewees most frequently. We provide no evidence that exotic breeds of cattle have superior reproductive performance compared with local breeds. The major cattle health concern cited by interviewees, lack of access to fodder, is likely to contribute to suboptimal productivity and the relatively high incidence of bovine enzootic haematuria in this population. We propose that a prospective cohort study of Bhutanese cattle is warranted to more fully elucidate factors affecting the productivity and longevity of cattle in Bhutan.


Emerging Infectious Diseases | 2016

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus IgG in Goats, Bhutan.

Sonam Wangchuk; Sonam Pelden; Tenzin Dorji; Sangay Tenzin; Binay Thapa; Sangay Zangmo; Ratna Gurung; Kinzang Dukpa; Tenzin Tenzin

To The Editor: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a highly infectious tickborne disease caused by a high-risk group of viruses belonging to the family Bunyaviridae (1,2). In humans, the overall case-fatality rate of CCHF is ≈30%, but in severe and hospitalized patients, fatalities may be up to 80% (3,4). CCHF is widespread in various countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe; the virus had been identified in humans in China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and has been recently reported for the first time in humans in India (4–7). Humans can be infected by bites from infected ticks, mainly of the Hyalomma genus; by unprotected contact with blood or tissue of viremic patients; or during slaughtering of infected animals. In addition, nosocomial infections are found in humans (1,4,8,9). Fatal cases of CCHF in humans were confirmed in Ahmadabad in India in 2011, but a recent serosurvey in livestock showed that this disease has widespread seroprevalence in domestic animals across India (7–10). Bhutan shares a long, porous border with India, and animals and humans frequently cross the border. Comprehensive surveillance was needed to determine the presence of CCHF virus (CCHFV) in livestock in Bhutan and to assess risk for zoonotic infection in humans. During October 2015, in collaboration with the National Centre for Animal Health Bhutan, we retrospectively tested serum samples collected during April–May 2015 from 81 goats and 92 cattle for CCHFV-specific IgG by using ELISA kits (Sheep/goat anti-CCHFV IgG ELISA kit and Cattle anti-CCHFV IgG ELISA kit; National Institute of Virology, Pune, India), as described (10). CCHFV IgG was detected in 31 (38.2%) goats; no cattle had positive results. The samples from goats, which were collected in early 2015 as part of surveillance of peste des petits ruminants, originated from the southern district of Sarpang, which shares a porous border with the state of Assam in India (Figure). The samples from cattle were collected from the National Nublang Breeding Center (Trashigang district) and the National Jersey Breeding Center (Samtse district) (Figure). Findings indicated that all goats that tested positive for CCHFV were reported to have been either bred within households that kept goat herds or procured from other villages within the district. Exact sources of those seropositive goats could not be ascertained. However, in a few instances in the past, breeding goats (male and female) were procured from India by the Bhutan government and distributed to farmers for breed improvement. We also believe that cross-border movement of animals and unofficial imports of goats by farmers along the porous borders of southern Bhutan likely occurred. Furthermore, a large number of dairy cattle are imported annually from India for enhancing milk production and breeding purposes. Not all imported animals (both cattle and goats) were tested for CCHF because of a lack of diagnostic facilities and the negligible occurrence of the disease in livestock. Figure Locations in Bhutan where serum samples were collected from goats (triangles) and cattle (square and circle) and tested for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus. The shaded area shows the boundaries of Sarpang district and subdistricts, where samples ... Our findings indicate that the risk of importing emerging infectious diseases along with live animals poses a serious risk to public health. Consequently, detailed risk-based surveillance is necessary to understand the complete scenario of CCHFV prevalence in livestock in Bhutan because Hyalomma tick species, the primary vectors of CCHF, are present on animals here. In addition, a survey among at-risk human populations is also needed. Findings from these surveillance activities would help institute more diagnostic facilities and risk-based surveillance and assist in developing a preparedness plan at the human–animal interface. Although our study has limitations because of the low number of serum samples tested from limited animal species from only 3 areas, the study provides evidence that CCHFV is circulating in goats in Bhutan.


Scientific Reports | 2018

Reconstructing the evolutionary history of pandemic foot-and-mouth disease viruses: the impact of recombination within the emerging O/ME-SA/Ind-2001 lineage

Katarzyna Bachanek-Bankowska; Antonello Di Nardo; Jemma Wadsworth; Valerie Mioulet; Giulia Pezzoni; Santina Grazioli; Emiliana Brocchi; Sharmila Chapagain Kafle; Ranjani Hettiarachchi; Pradeep Lakpriya Kumarawadu; Ibrahim Eldaghayes; Abdunaser Dayhum; Deodass Meenowa; Soufien Sghaier; Hafsa Madani; Nabil Abouchoaib; Bui Huy Hoang; Pham Phong Vu; Kinzang Dukpa; Ratna Gurung; Sangay Tenzin; Ulrich Wernery; Alongkorn Panthumart; Kingkarn Boonsuya Seeyo; Wilai Linchongsubongkoch; Anthony Relmy; Labib Bakkali-Kassimi; Alexei Scherbakov; Donald P. King; Nick J. Knowles

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease of livestock affecting animal production and trade throughout Asia and Africa. Understanding FMD virus (FMDV) global movements and evolution can help to reconstruct the disease spread between endemic regions and predict the risks of incursion into FMD-free countries. Global expansion of a single FMDV lineage is rare but can result in severe economic consequences. Using extensive sequence data we have reconstructed the global space-time transmission history of the O/ME-SA/Ind-2001 lineage (which normally circulates in the Indian sub-continent) providing evidence of at least 15 independent escapes during 2013–2017 that have led to outbreaks in North Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the Far East and the FMD-free islands of Mauritius. We demonstrated that sequence heterogeneity of this emerging FMDV lineage is accommodated within two co-evolving divergent sublineages and that recombination by exchange of capsid-coding sequences can impact upon the reconstructed evolutionary histories. Thus, we recommend that only sequences encoding the outer capsid proteins should be used for broad-scale phylogeographical reconstruction. These data emphasise the importance of the Indian subcontinent as a source of FMDV that can spread across large distances and illustrates the impact of FMDV genome recombination on FMDV molecular epidemiology.


Preventive Veterinary Medicine | 2017

Revisiting an old disease? Risk factors for bovine enzootic haematuria in the Kingdom of Bhutan

Arata Hidano; Basant Sharma; Karma Rinzin; Narapati Dahal; Kinzang Dukpa; Mark Stevenson

Bovine enzootic haematuria (BEH) is a debilitating disease of cattle caused by chronic ingestion of bracken fern. Control of BEH is difficult when bracken fern is abundant and fodder resources are limited. To fill a significant knowledge gap on modifiable risk factors for BEH, we conducted a case-control study to identify cattle management practices associated with BEH in the Bhutanese cattle population. A case-control study involving 16 of the 20 districts of Bhutan was carried out between March 2012 and June 2014. In Bhutan sodium acid phosphate and hexamine (SAP&H) is used to treat BEH-affected cattle. All cattle greater than three years of age and treated with SAP&H in 2011 were identified from treatment records held by animal health offices. Households with at least one SAP&H-treated cattle were defined as probable cases. Probable case households were visited and re-classified as confirmed case households if the BEH status of cattle was confirmed following clinical examination and urinalysis. Two control households were selected from the same village as the case household. Households were eligible to be controls if: (1) householders reported that none of their cattle had shown red urine during the previous five years, and (2) haematuria was absent in a randomly selected animal from the herd following clinical examination. Details of cattle management practices were elicited from case and control householders using a questionnaire. A conditional logistic regression model was used to quantify the association between exposures of interest and household BEH status. A total of 183 cases and 345 controls were eligible for analysis. After adjusting for known confounders, the odds of free-grazing for two and three months in the spring were 3.81 (95% CI 1.27-11.7) and 2.28 (95% CI 1.15-4.53) times greater, respectively, in case households compared to controls. The odds of using fresh fern and dry fern as bedding in the warmer months were 2.05 (95% CI 1.03-4.10) and 2.08 (95% CI 0.88-4.90) times greater, respectively, in cases compared to controls. This study identified two husbandry practices that could be modified to reduce the risk of BEH in Bhutanese cattle. Avoiding the use of bracken fern as bedding is desirable, however, if fern is the only available material, it should be harvested during the colder months of the year. Improving access to alternative fodder crops will reduce the need for householders to rely on free-grazing as the main source of metabolisable energy for cattle during the spring.


Tropical Animal Health and Production | 2011

A retrospective study on the epidemiology of foot-and-mouth disease in Bhutan

Kinzang Dukpa; I.D. Robertson; John Edwards; Trevor M. Ellis

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