Abstract
A pilot survey using a structured questionnaire was conducted in Tororo and Busia districts of Uganda on the knowledge and attitudes of cattle owners regarding tsetse fly and trypanosomosis control, in order to understand factors that hindered their full participation. A total of 81 cattle owners was randomly selected and interviewed, of which 92.5% were aware of tsetse flies and trypanosomosis and 87.6% recognised animal trypanosomosis as a problem in the area. Most cattle owners were aware of tsetse fly trapping (76.5%), isometamidium chloride use (55.5%), diminazene aceturate use (48%) and pour-on applications (18.5%). However, knowledge did not coincide with the application of control measures. Despite the widespread awareness, tsetse fly trapping and pour-on applications were used by only a small percentage of cattle owners (7.5% applied tsetse fly trapping while 76.5% were aware of it; 1.2% applied pour-on insecticides while 18.5% were aware of them). Differences between awareness and application were highly significant for tsetse fly trapping (chi2 = 67.8, d.f. = 1, P < 0.001) and pour-on applications (chi2 = 10.8, d.f. = 1, P < 0.05), but not for isometamidium chloride use (chi2 = 0.08, d.f. = 1, P = 0.77) and diminazene aceturate use (chi2 = 0.00, d.f. = 1, P = 1.00). Most cattle owners (97.5%) were willing to participate in future control programmes, but preferred participating on a group basis (85.2%) rather than individually (14.8%). The 4 most favoured control options in order of importance were: fly traps supplied by the government and maintained by cattle owners; contribution of labour by cattle owners for trap deployment; self-financing of trypanocidal drugs and self-financing of pour-on insecticide. The control options that should be selected in order to elicit full participation by cattle owners are discussed.
Highlights
Control of tsetse flies and both human and animal trypanosomosis in Tororo and Busia districts of southeastern Uganda was effectively carried out between 1991 and 1995
This paper reports on the findings of a survey of the knowledge and attitudes of cattle owners regarding trypanosomosis control conducted as a sequal to a donorfunded area-wide tsetse fly and trypanosomosis control programme in Tororo and Busia districts in southeastern Uganda
Whereas the level of awareness among cattle owners interviewed in Busia was over 50 % for all the control methods, apart from pour-on application, the level of awareness among their counterparts in Tororo was below 50 % for all control methods, apart from tsetse fly trapping
Summary
Control of tsetse flies and both human and animal trypanosomosis in Tororo and Busia districts of southeastern Uganda was effectively carried out between 1991 and 1995. The programme involved large-scale deployment of insecticideimpregnated pyramidal traps[6] integrated with limited application of pour-on and chemotherapy against animal trypanosomosis[8]. In these areas, during the period 1991 to 1995, the apparent density of tsetse flies and the detected prevalence of animal trypanosomosis was reduced by 95–99.5 % and 79–94 %, respectively[8], and human trypanosomosis was effectively controlled. Due to lack of a sustained supply of control materials and aLivestock Health Research Institute, P.O. Box 96, Tororo, Uganda.
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