Abstract
BackgroundThis study is a baseline survey to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices with regards to the anthrax disease among the communities before demonstrating a One Health approach for elimination of human anthrax in an endemic district of Odisha. A total of 2670 respondents from 112 villages of 14 blocks were interviewed for the study using a structured questionnaire by multi-stage sampling method. Descriptive statistics were reported and logistic regression was performed to estimate the relationship between the variables and knowledge of anthrax.ResultOut of 2670 participants in the study, 76.25% were male and about half were illiterate. Most of the respondents (54.19%) were involved in agriculture as an occupation. 71% of the respondents had livestock in their houses and farming was the main purpose for keeping the livestock. Only one-fifth of the respondents (20.26%) knew about anthrax and a majority of them have come across the disease during community outbreaks. Almost 25.9% of livestock owners had knowledge about vaccination against anthrax disease although 83.4% of the livestock owners disposed the animal carcass by burial method.ConclusionThe study findings indicated that the community members had poor knowledge of cause, symptoms, transmission and prevention of anthrax disease which may be improved by a One Health approach.
Highlights
Anthrax is a globally neglected zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis and is widely found in cattle, goats, sheep and deer [1, 2]
The study findings indicated that the community members had poor knowledge of cause, symptoms, transmission and prevention of anthrax disease which may be improved by a One Health approach
Study design The study was a cross-sectional survey conducted as a baseline before using the intervention of the One Health approach for the elimination of human anthrax cases in the district
Summary
Anthrax is a globally neglected zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis and is widely found in cattle, goats, sheep and deer [1, 2]. Anthrax has three clinical forms in humans based on the route of infection namely cutaneous (skin), gastrointestinal (ingestion) and pulmonary anthrax [6]. It is a disease more prevalent among animal handlers who get infected from contamination during the production, processing and handling of animal products and among people who ingest/consume infected meat [7, 8]. The anthrax outbreaks become an endemic in few parts of this state and the most frequently affected districts are Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Sundargarh, and Kandhamal of which Koraput district tops the list with more than 300 human cases and more than 10 deaths with confirmed anthrax infection during the last 6 years [11, 12]. Descriptive statistics were reported and logistic regression was performed to estimate the relationship between the variables and knowledge of anthrax
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