Awareness and Attitude Toward Zoonoses with Particular Reference to Anthrax Among Cattle Owners in Selected Rural Communities of Zimbabwe

Abstract

We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess cattle owners' awareness, perceptions, and attitudes toward zoonoses, with particular emphasis regarding anthrax. Data on awareness of zoonoses, clinical signs of anthrax in animals and human, its routes of transmission and methods of prevention, the families' consumption habits of anthrax-infected carcasses, and other family activities that increase exposure to anthrax were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. A total of 41.4% (135/326) of the farmers were from high-anthrax-risk districts, whereas 28.5% and 30.1% were from medium-and low-risk districts, respectively. Overall, the level of awareness amongst the farmers for the named zoonoses were rabies (88.7%), anthrax (71.5%), and brucellosis (20.9%). Except for anthrax, awareness of other zoonoses did not differ significantly ( p > 0.05) among the district categories. Farmers from anthrax high-risk districts were significantly more aware of anthrax compared to those from moderate-( p = 0.000) and low-( p = 0.000) risk districts. All of the farmers were aware that anthrax occurs in cattle, and 73% indicated the presence of unclotting blood oozing from natural orifices as a consistent finding in cattle that died of anthrax, whereas 86.7% of them indicated the presence of skin lesions as the most common sign of the disease in humans. The good efficacy of human anthrax treatment (58.3%), slaughter of moribund cattle and selling of meat from cattle found dead to unsuspecting consumers (59.8%), reluctance to lose animals (47.9%), and forgetting about anthrax (41.1%) were cited as the major reasons for consuming anthrax-infected carcasses. Given that 75.2% of cattle owners indicated that they would not consume meat from cattle found dead, because they were discouraged by veterinary authorities, introducing meat inspection services is likely to have a positive impact in preventing human anthrax outbreaks in Zimbabwe.

Livestock owners’ anthrax prevention practices and its associated factors in Sekota Zuria district, Northeast Ethiopia

“…Only 25.4% of the farmers utilized appropriate anthrax prevention practices in the district. Studies conducted to assess anthrax prevention practices among livestock owners in Turkey and Zimbabwe indicated that 51.9% [13] and 86% [3], of the owners appropriately managed the disease, respectively. Compared to these findings, the result of this work was lower.…”

“…Anthrax is a zoonotic bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis [1].When B. antharcis are exposed to air, they rapidly sporulate to form very persistent spores [2]. The spores (i.e., dormant stage) are resistant to heat and chemical disinfectants and may persist and remain viable in soil for several decades [2,3]. Herbivorous and wild mammals are the most commonly affected groups through the ingestion or inhalation of spores while grazing.…”

Knowledge Assessment through Surveying on Cattle Zoonotic Diseases in Dairy Farmers

“…Hundal et al, (2016) revealed in his cross sectional study, their herd size up to 10 animals (79.6 %). Tebug (2013) Chikerema et al, (2013) found that awareness amongst the farmers was known viz., Rabies (88.7 %), Anthrax (71.5%) and Brucellosis (20.9 %). Tesfaye et al, (2013) revealed that were rabies (97.1 %), followed by Taeniasis (83.4 %), anthrax (55.4 %), Bovine tuberculosis (29.1 %) and Hydatidosis (4 %) knew on common zoonotic diseases.…”

Communal farmers’ perceptions of tick-borne diseases affecting cattle and investigation of tick control methods practiced in Zimbabwe

“…According to (Chenyambuga et al, 2010) the currently held concept of TBDs control has to be revised and should consider the indigenous knowledge of livestock keepers. Literature search on the involvement of farmers in studying the epidemiology of diseases in Zimbabwe revealed that only a few studies had been conducted (Chikerema et al, 2013;De Garine-Wichatitsky et al, 2013;Mosalagae et al, 2011;Pfukenyi et al, 2010) and none of these have directly looked at TBDs. This is despite the importance placed on TBDs by the government Department of Veterinary Services in the country.…”