VILLAGE LEVEL RISK-FACTORS FOR FOOT-AND-MOUTH-DISEASE IN NORTHERN THAILAND

A study was undertaken in northern Thailand to identify factors which put some villages at higher risk of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbr eaks than others. The number of FMD outbreaks experienced in the previ ous 5 years and data on 145 putative risk factors were obtained by int erview from 60 villages during 1991-1992. Univariable analyses identif ied 27 factors for further investigation using logistic regression. Wh en villages were classified into three FMD frequency groups of zero to one, two to three or four or more outbreaks in the last 5 years, the important factors explaining the differences in risk were the total nu mber of cattle and buffaloes purchased in the previous year, the numbe r of neighbouring villages which shared a common water source and whet her agriculture was the most important source of cash income for the v illage, ?These factors were also the most important variables in expla ining the difference in risk when comparing villages with zero or one outbreak with those having four or more. We concluded that the greates t impact on reducing spread of FMD among villages would be obtained th rough the development of strategies to reduce the likelihood of introd uction through livestock purchases and for villagers to take greater c are when livestock are grazed with those from neighbouring villages an d when sharing common water supplies.