Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Jul 16;7(1):37.
doi: 10.1186/s42522-025-00161-9.

Negotiating cohabitation in a Nigerian abattoir: One Health perspectives of human-animal-ecosystem interactions examined in the light of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Hellena Debelts #  1 , Valerie Allendorf #  2 , Olayinka Asala #  3 , Ebere Roseann Agusi  3 , Ismaila Shittu  3 , Oluyemi Ogunmolawa  3 , Judith Bakam  3 , Bitrus Inuwa  3 , Jeremiah Ijomanta  3 , Joshua Seyi Oyetunde  3 , Chinonyerem Chinyere  3 , Austine Elah  4 , David Oludare Omoniwa  5 , Klaas Dietze  6 , Adeponle Adeoye  7   8 , Chinwe Lucia Ochu  8 , Anja Globig #  6 , Almudena Mari-Saez #  9 , Clement Meseko #  3
Affiliations

Negotiating cohabitation in a Nigerian abattoir: One Health perspectives of human-animal-ecosystem interactions examined in the light of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Hellena Debelts et al. One Health Outlook. .

Abstract

Background: Urbanization and intensifying interactions between humans, animals, and the environment present complex challenges for One Health, particularly in regions like Central Nigeria. This study investigates the dynamics of human-animal-environment interfaces within a Nigerian abattoir during the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, focusing on zoonotic transmission pathways and multispecies interactions.

Methods: We employed a mixed-methods approach, combining ethnographic observations, semi-structured interviews, and biological sampling of livestock, dogs, and small mammals. Virological analyses included RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection and ELISA for antibody identification. Fieldwork spanned rainy and dry seasons in 2022 to capture seasonal variations in human-animal interactions.

Results: The abattoir compound is centre of life of multiple species, involving humans, livestock, synanthropic mammals, and domestic animals, and as such, serves as a dynamic hub for their interactions. Seasonal changes influence interaction intensity, with higher densities during the rainy season. While SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in animal samples, antibodies were identified in cattle, goats, sheep, dogs, and shrews, with higher occurrence in the rainy season. These findings suggest prior exposure of the animals to SARS-CoV-2, underscoring the influence of environmental and human behavioural factors on zoonotic transmission risks.

Conclusions: This One Health study demonstrates the value of integrating ethnographic insights with serological data, and highlights the abattoir compound as a critical site for zoonotic pathogen circulation. Findings emphasize the need for targeted interdisciplinary surveillance and mitigation strategies in high-density, multispecies environments to address zoonotic disease risks and enhance health resilience across species.

Keywords: Abattoir; Anthropology; Livestock; Nigeria; One Health; SARS-CoV-2; Urbanization; Wildlife.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Ethical approval for the part of the study involving the investigation of humans was retrieved from the Health Research Ethics Committee of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria (FHREC/2022/01/08/04-02-22). Ethical approval for the part of the study involving the investigation of domestic and wild animals was retrieved from the Animal Ethics Committee at National Veterinary Research Institute. Permission No. AEC/03/118/22). Consent for publication: All individuals interviewed for this study declared their consent for publication. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Outline of the compound of the livestock market and the adjacent abattoir. Main structures and buildings are labelled according to their intended usage, and are colour-coded according to the species most active and prevalent within the designated utilization. For the three areas of the cattle lairage, the small ruminant lairage and the river bed/ dump site, the seasonal differences are depicted with photos taken by the research team
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Pimm SL. The complexity and stability of ecosystems. Nature. 1984;307(5949):321–6.10.1038/307321a0
    1. Meena C, Hens C, Acharyya S, Haber S, Boccaletti S, Barzel B. Emergent stability in complex network dynamics. Nat Phys. 2023;19(7):1033–42. 10.1038/s41567-023-02020-8
    1. Erev S. What is it like to become a bat?? Heterogeneities in an age of extinction. Environ Humanit. 2018;10(1):129–49. 10.1215/22011919-4385498
    1. Solé RV, Montoya JM. Complexity and fragility in ecological networks. Proc Biol Sci. 2001;268(1480):2039–45.10.1098/rspb.2001.1767 - PMC - PubMed
    1. Aronsson A, Holm F. Multispecies entanglements in the virosphere: rethinking the anthropocene in light of the 2019 coronavirus outbreak. Anthropocene Rev. 2022;9(1):24–36. 10.1177/2053019620979326 - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources