Uncovering endemic Rift Valley fever patterns at the human-animal- environmental interface to model transmission in Kajiado County, Kenya

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a zoonotic virus transmitted by mosquitos. As cattle, sheep, and goats increase local viral activity, humans can also be exposed by contacting infected livestock fluids. If livestock infections are controlled, public health risks are reduced, but in all species, RVFV is hard to differentiate from other diseases without targeted sampling and testing. Cases are increasingly detected between large outbreaks, but the extent is unknown because current testing systems are not designed to capture them. This perpetuates a biased understanding of epidemiology. With potential for severe human disease, economic impact on livestock, and no human vaccine option, current understanding of how RVFV moves through populations in hotspots does not reflect the global importance of the disease. This study aims to uncover local outbreaks in humans and animals to understand the extent of endemic transmission and risk. We will also collect livestock movement and vector data to use in adapting a simulation model made for another livestock disease to determine what factors are important for RVFV spread. Finally, since human behaviors impact risk and control of disease, we will integrate a qualitative study that summarizes the community's perspective of barriers and facilitators to controlling livestock diseases.