Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on Anthrax among Animal and Human Health Professionals in Kellem Wollega Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Research Article

Austin J Vet Sci & Anim Husb. 2023; 10(4): 1125.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on Anthrax among Animal and Human Health Professionals in Kellem Wollega Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Fasige Getahun*

Kellem Wollega Zone, Sayo Woreda Agricultural Office, Dembi Dollo, Ethiopia

*Corresponding author: Fasige Getahun Kellem Wollega Zone, Sayo Woreda Agricultural Office, Dembi Dollo, Ethiopia. Email: getahunfasika@gmail.com

Received: June 13, 2023 Accepted: July 14, 2023 Published: July 21, 2023

Abstract

Ethiopia has the 2nd largest human population in Africa and the largest livestock population on the continent. The country is mainly vulnerable to zoonotic diseases because its economy is primarily dependent on agriculture. Anthrax is a potentially fatal naturally occurring infectious disease of warm-blooded animals that primarily affects herbivorous mammals. Humans become infected incidentally through contact with diseased animals or contaminated animal products. The objective of this study aims to assess the animal and human health professionals’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards anthrax diseases in Kellem Wollega Zone starting from July to September, 2022. A cross-sectional study design using questionnaires were used to evaluate the animal and human health professionals of the study area on their knowledge, attitudes, and practices on anthrax starting from July to September, 2022. A total of 390 respondents participated in the questionnaire survey. Of these, 190 were animal health professionals while 200 were human health professionals working in government institutions. The overall knowledge of human health professional 59% (62%, 60.5% attitude and 56.4%) practice. The overall knowledge of Veterinarians 71% (77.8%, 67.7% attitude and 67.5%). In general, in some districts they considered anthrax as a forgotten disease. The KAP of the human health professional participants towards anthrax was lower than veterinarians. Moreover, there was no consistent understanding of the disease among the participants.

Keywords: Anthrax; Knowledge- attitude-Practice-Kellem Wollega

Introduction

Ethiopia has the 2nd largest human population in Africa and the largest livestock population on the continent [20]. The country is mainly vulnerable to zoonotic diseases because its economy is primarily dependent on agriculture. About 80% of households directly contact domestic animals, creating an opportunity for infection and spread of disease [16]. Zoonosis is any disease or condition naturally transmissible from vertebrate animals to humans and vice-versa [28]. Anthrax is a potentially fatal naturally occurring infectious disease of warm-blooded animals that primarily affects herbivorous mammals [28]. Anthrax is known by several names worldwide, such as charbon, wool sorter’s disease, rag pickers’ disease, malignant carbuncle, malignant pustule, and Siberian ulcer [19]. Due to its widespread distribution and its potential use as a biological weapon (bioterrorism), anthrax is also believed as a global public health threat [5]. It has a disproportionate impact on the livelihood of livestock owners. Mainly, the public health and livestock product quantity and quality in impoverished rural communities in anthrax-endemic countries are severely affected, resulting in devastating economic loss and loss of livestock product market due to reduced consumer confidence [22]. The causative agent of anthrax is Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis), which primarily infects herbivores and secondarily humans [11,13].

The occurrence of anthrax outbreaks in a particular location mostly depends on multiple factors, which include unique characteristics of the bacterium, environmentally related features, animal densities and human activities [4,10]. Anthrax outbreaks have been associated with ecological, demographic, and sociocultural factors [18,24]. The occurrence of human cases is often highly correlated with animal anthrax outbreaks [17]. Anthrax seasons are typically characterized by hot-dry weather, with outbreaks often triggered by weather extremes such as heavy rain following a period of prolonged drought [9,11]. As such, a warming climate is predicted to increase anthrax risk in some areas of the world [26]. During the dry season, the grass is short and animals are forced to graze closer to the ground, increasing the opportunity to ingest anthrax spores [17], especially when anthrax-infected carcasses and butchering waste have been disposed of in environments where ruminants live and graze [12]. Spores may also be spread in the environment through scavenging birds, animals, and water [6,7].