Abstract
ABSTRACT In this study, we assessed community awareness and experiences of health workers about mosquito-borne viral diseases in selected districts of the Gambella Region, South Western Ethiopia. A community and health facility-based qualitative study involving 11 focus group discussions (FGDs) with community dmembers and two FGDs with health workers was conducted between November 2017 to January 2018. A total of 122 community members and 16 health workers participated in the study. All the discussants mentioned malaria, typhoid fever, unknown causes of diarrhea and skin diseases as the major public health problems in the area. Using pictures of Anopheles and Aedes mosquitoes, participants confirmed that both mosquitoes are present in the area. They identified Anopheles as the vector of malaria. However, community discussants could not mention the name of a disease that can be transmitted by Aedes mosquito though they mentioned that Aedes mosquito bites both humans and animals during the day time in forest areas and causes skin itching to humans. Meanwhile, community participants from Pakag, a village bordering South Sudan, expressed concern that Aedes mosquito can cause a malaria-like disease which can kill within a few days. Health workers from Itang health center described that in 2016, an outbreak of an unknown disease that causes fever and jaundice occurred and killed seven individuals in a village called Akula, which is closer to a South Sudan refugee camp. Overall, the findings showed that community members and health workers in the area do not have adequate information on mosquito-borne viral diseases. Creating awareness, improving laboratory services and further epidemiological studies would be important for early warning and preparedness for outbreaks in the area.
Highlights
In many low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), reports on emerging and re-emerging mosquitoborne viral diseases caused by yellow fever virus (YFV), dengue virus (DENV), West Nile virus (WNV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), and Zika virus (ZIKV) are becoming more frequent [1,2,3]
A previous study on community awareness about YF in Southern Ethiopia indicated that community members had a great difficulty in identifying YF from malaria [17] which is similar with the findings of this study
Another study in Tanzania revealed that many community members believed that most instances of fever are due to malaria and the community had a low level of awareness about other non-malaria feb rile illnesses like Rift Valley Fever (RVF) or den gue fever (DF) despite the endemicity of these diseases [23]
Summary
In many low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), reports on emerging and re-emerging mosquitoborne viral diseases caused by yellow fever virus (YFV), dengue virus (DENV), West Nile virus (WNV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), and Zika virus (ZIKV) are becoming more frequent [1,2,3]. In 1966, a YF outbreak caused 2,200 cases and 450 deaths in Ethiopia [9] and between November 2012 and October 2013 YF re-appeared in the South Omo. Zone of Southern part of the country and resulted in 43 deaths [10]. Outbreaks of den gue fever (DF) have occurred in the Eastern part of Ethiopia [11,12]. Viruses such as Zika, West Nile, Chikungunya, Wesselsbron, Talaguine, and Sindbis were reported in the Gamo Gofa and Wollega areas [13]. Studies on Aedes and Culex mosquitoes have been done in many geographical areas of Ethiopia [14,15]
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