Knowledge and practices about zoonotic tuberculosis prevention and associated determinants amongst livestock workers in Nigeria; 2015

Abstract

Zoonotic tuberculosis (TB) is a significant public health disease, but has long been neglected. Information on knowledge and practices of its prevention and influencing factors amongst occupationally exposed individuals is required for designing all-inclusive, informed control programmes. We investigated knowledge and practices related to zoonotic TB prevention and associated determinants amongst herdsmen and abattoir workers in south-western, south-eastern and north-western Nigeria using semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analysed with STATA 12. A total of 510 respondents (196 herdsmen; 314 abattoir workers) participated in the survey, of which 58.6% and 46.9% respectively were knowledgeable and demonstrated good practices about zoonotic TB prevention. Almost 60% knew that zoonotic TB transmission was preventable and 49.8% knew transmission could be through consumption of infected animal products. However, only 16.7% knew the disease could be transmitted by aerosol. Just 49.4% sought medical check-up when ill, 37.8% used protective clothing and only 29.2% usually condemned TB infected cattle. Respondents with post-primary education were about three times more likely to be knowledgeable (OR = 2.70, 95%CI: 1.68–4.33) and two times more likely to demonstrate good practice (OR = 2.23, 95%CI: 1.45–3.42) than those without formal education. Similarly, abattoir workers were about 6.4 times more likely to be knowledgeable (OR: 6.39, 95%CI: 4.31–9.47) and two times more likely to demonstrate good practice (OR: 2.03, 95%CI: 1.40–2.92) than the herdsmen. There were important knowledge gaps with poor practices about zoonotic TB prevention amongst livestock workers in Nigeria. Strong predictors of knowledge and practice were being an abattoir worker and having post-primary education. Well-designed grassroots enlightenment programmes addressing modes of transmission, handling infected cattle and seeking medical check-up are urgently needed among high risk settings considering the recently launched Road Map for Zoonotic Tuberculosis which resonates that every tuberculosis case counts towards 2030 End-TB Strategy.

Factors influencing knowledge and practices for prevention of bovine tuberculosis amongst workers at Abattoir in Karachi

“…Similar conditions are prevailing in Pakistan. The results of present study are in contrary to those of [16] who conducted study in Nigeria during 2015.They found that respondents were good in knowledge about zoonotic TB prevention but they avoid demonstrating good practice. The ration of good practice was almost half of the respondent knowledgeable.…”

Prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in slaughtered cattle and factors associated with risk of disease transmission among cattle handlers at Oko-Oba Abattoir, Lagos, Nigeria

“…Expectedly, longer contact time with animals increases the chances of being infected with animal pathogens. This is supported by a previous report which showed that cattle handlers with longer duration in cattle handling had higher chances of being infected with bTB than those who had spent lesser time [ 33 ]. However, livestock workers, in general, lack adequate knowledge of bTB prevention [ 33 ].…”

“…This is supported by a previous report which showed that cattle handlers with longer duration in cattle handling had higher chances of being infected with bTB than those who had spent lesser time [ 33 ]. However, livestock workers, in general, lack adequate knowledge of bTB prevention [ 33 ]. Worse still, practices that enhance bTB transmission, such as consumption of unpasteurized milk and processing of infected carcasses, are prevalent among the occupationally exposed individuals [ 33 ].…”

“…However, livestock workers, in general, lack adequate knowledge of bTB prevention [ 33 ]. Worse still, practices that enhance bTB transmission, such as consumption of unpasteurized milk and processing of infected carcasses, are prevalent among the occupationally exposed individuals [ 33 ]. Besides, the study identified important knowledge and practice gaps, including not knowing the mode of transmission of bTB, not knowing the potential occupational risk associated with handling animals, not boiling fresh milk before drinking and ignoring TB lesions at slaughter, among others.…”

Isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from livestock workers and implications for zooanthroponotic transmission in Ibadan, South-western Nigeria

“…More importantly, these workers are generally uneducated, exhibit poor hygiene practices, indulge in alcoholism, drug addiction and have poor medical care-seeking behavior. A recent study revealed important knowledge gaps with poor practices about zoonotic TB prevention among livestock workers in Nigeria [ 8 ]. Coupled with these are the poor state of infrastructures at the cattle markets and abattoirs/slaughter slabs settings where they work [ 9 ], which are factors that could facilitate transmission of TB within the human-animal ecosystem interface in Nigeria.…”