Cultural and behavioural drivers of zoonotic disease risk along the wild meat value chain in rural Cameroon

Wild meat remains a critical source of food security and income in tropical regions, yet it poses significant public health risks due to the potential for zoonotic disease transmission. To better understand these risks, we conducted 2,374 structured interviews with hunters and food preparers across 44 rural villages in Cameroon and surveyed 64 wild meat vendors in four regional markets. This study explores prevailing wild meat handling practices and perceptions of disease risk, providing essential insights for designing targeted interventions to safeguard human health and livelihoods. Hunting patterns varied by ethnicity: a higher percentage of Indigenous Baka reported hunting than Bantu, and Baka hunters were more likely to target bats, a high-risk taxonomic group. Gender, age, and ethnicity also shape behaviours. Women and older individuals were generally less likely to hunt or handle animals exhibiting clinical abnormalities. However, notable differences were observed between ethnic groups. Among the Indigenous Baka, women frequently participated in hunting, particularly by setting snares, whereas Bantu women seldom did so. Across both groups, women were more likely than men to take home carcasses found dead and to hunt small mammals such as rodents. These distinctions highlight how gendered and cultural norms influence patterns of wildlife contact and exposure to zoonotic risk. Hygiene standards during the handling and processing of wild meat were generally very low. Fewer than 1% of household respondents reported using any protective equipment, and only 6% cleaned butchering surfaces with soap. A substantial number admitted to consuming or selling meat from animals that appeared visibly diseased, exhibiting signs such as abnormal organs, discolouration, or unusual odours. Injuries sustained during butchering were also commonly reported, further compounding health risks. Concern about disease was relatively low, reported by only 14.7% of households. However, it was associated with a modest increase in the likelihood of handwashing (by 5 percentage points) and a more substantial increase in the possibility of avoiding contact with dead animals (by 16 percentage points). Ethnic and gender differences influenced both concerns about disease risk and behaviours. These findings highlight the importance of designing public health strategies grounded in local sociocultural realities, aimed at reducing zoonotic risk while safeguarding livelihoods and respecting the economic and cultural roles that wild meat plays within communities.