Knowledge, attitudes and practices on tsetse and sleeping sickness among communities living in and around Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Abstract

Abstract:A study was undertaken to investigate knowledge, attitudes and practices about sleeping sickness (human African trypanosomiasis) among communities living in and around Serengeti National Park (SENAPA). Structured questionnaires were administered to a total of 1490 consenting participants. Of the respondents, 924 (62%) knew sleeping sickness, and 807 (87.3%) knew the right place to seek healthcare. Of 924 who knew sleeping sickness, 386 (42%) said the disease was present in the areas they live. Most respondents (85.4%) knew that sleeping sickness infections were acquired in the bush and forest. The most common (69.3%) sources of information about sleeping sickness were relatives and friends. Symptoms of sleeping sickness mentioned included abnormal sleep (45.2%), fever (35.3%), body malaise (14.5%), headache (7.6%) and lymph node enlargement (6.1%). Of 1490 people interviewed 90.4% knew tsetse flies and 89.8% had been bitten by tsetse flies. The majority (86.6%) of the respondents knew that sleeping sickness is transmitted through a tsetse bite. Activities that exposed people to tsetse bites included working in tsetse infested bushes/forests, grazing livestock in tsetse infested areas and hunting game animals. In conclusion, communities living in and around SENAPA were knowledgeable about tsetse and sleeping sickness. The communities can thus understand and support community based tsetse and sleeping sickness control programmes to ensure success.

Factors influencing individual and community participation in the control of tsetse flies and human African trypanosomiasis in Urambo District, Tanzania

“…The community is also aware of the activities that expose an individual to tsetse bites and therefore the risk of contracting HAT. This level of awareness could be attributed to experience from patients during the previous outbreaks and education from health care personnel (Kinung'hi et al, 2006). However, in our study, there was no significant correlation between the level of education of the respondent and knowledge of HAT and its control.…”

“…Majority of the respondents reported to have experienced tsetse bite which may present the risk of HAT transmission and nuisance. High number of tsetse bite per person per week was found to represent nuisance and risk for transmission of sleeping sickness for tourists and local staff in a study in Serengeti National Park in northern Tanzania (Kinung'hi et al, 2006). Adult males were mentioned to be the most likely to suffer from HAT and the records obtained from health facilities indicated that, larger proportion of HAT patients were males.…”

Epidemiology of human African trypanosomiasis

“…Exposure is related to the movement of humans, animals, and tsetse flies out of or into reserves, especially during specific seasons of the year. Populations living in the periphery of game reserves and national parks are the ones at the highest risk 113. The exposure to rhodesiense HAT in this area involves wildlife conservation activities (for example, rangers and park wardens), hunting and poaching, fishing, honey and firewood collection, and visitors of national parks (tourists) 1,11,28,113,114.…”

“…Populations living in the periphery of game reserves and national parks are the ones at the highest risk 113. The exposure to rhodesiense HAT in this area involves wildlife conservation activities (for example, rangers and park wardens), hunting and poaching, fishing, honey and firewood collection, and visitors of national parks (tourists) 1,11,28,113,114. The movement of livestock for grazing in these areas is another risk factor for herdsmen;115 there is also the potential that this risk could be transferred to other areas where the cattle is moving.…”

Capacity and Policy Change in Managing Human African Trypanosomiasis in Endemic Rural Districts of Eastern Zambia

“…With one case of HAT being reported from Mambwe district and several others from Chama district, it is not known as to how many possible cases could have gone unreported and resulted in death without seeking medical attention [18]. According to the WHO expert committee on HAT control and surveillance [2] and Odiit et al, [5], it can extrapolated that from the 8 confirmed HAT cases reported in Chama district between 2003 and 2013, 80 more cases remained unreported in the field and about 5 cases died undetected.…”