Knowledge Of Rabies Research Articles

Knowledge of rabies and dog-related behaviors among people in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia

BackgroundThe rabies incidence and number of dogs in Cambodia are much higher than in nearby countries. Knowledge and behaviors which are related to rabies and/or dogs are considered to be contributing factors for rabies infection control in the community; however, such information in rural Cambodia is limited. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess knowledge and experiences related to rabies as well as dog-related behaviors among people in Siem Reap Province, and to identify the specific factors associated with adequate knowledge.MethodsFour-stage sampling was employed to identify villages and households. In total, 360 respondents were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Data were descriptively summarized and logistic regression was performed to estimate odds ratios of adequate knowledge related to rabies for respondents’ characteristics.ResultsOnly 9.7% of respondents had adequate knowledge of rabies. Of the respondents, 86.9 and 18.3% had experienced hearing of or seeing a suspected rabid dog and a suspected rabid human, respectively. More than two-thirds (70.6%) of households had at least one dog, and the ratio of dog to human populations was 1: 2.8. Only a few owners had vaccinated dogs, used a cage, or tied up their dog. Visiting a health center was the first choice of treatment for respondents when bitten by a dog. However, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) was not commonly expected as a treatment choice by respondents. Those with higher education were more likely to have adequate knowledge than those with no education (adjusted OR 12.34, 95% CI 2.64–57.99, p < 0.01). Farmers and non-poor families were also less likely to have adequate knowledge than those of other professions and poor families (adjusted OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.12–0.76, p = 0.01, and adjusted OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.04–0.47, p < 0.01, respectively).ConclusionsHigh dog population, inadequate knowledge of rabies, low recognition of human rabies, and poor dog management were found to be serious challenges for controlling rabies. Health education related to rabies should be introduced, targeting farmers in particular who easily encounter stray dogs but have little knowledge of rabies risk factors and signs. At the same time, PEP delivery and dog management should be improved.

A rabies lesson improves rabies knowledge amongst primary school children in Zomba, Malawi.

Rabies is an important neglected disease, which kills around 59,000 people a year. Over a third of these deaths are in children less than 15 years of age. Almost all human rabies deaths in Africa and Asia are due to bites from infected dogs. Despite the high efficacy of current rabies vaccines, awareness about rabies preventive healthcare is often low in endemic areas. It is therefore common for educational initiatives to be conducted in conjunction with other rabies control activities such as mass dog vaccination, however there are few examples where the efficacy of education activities has been assessed. Here, primary school children in Zomba, Malawi, were given a lesson on rabies biology and preventive healthcare. Subsequently, a mass dog vaccination programme was delivered in the same region. Knowledge and attitudes towards rabies were assessed by a questionnaire before the lesson, immediately after the lesson and 9 weeks later to assess the impact the lesson had on school children’s knowledge and attitudes. This assessment was also undertaken in children who were exposed to the mass dog vaccination programme but did not receive the lesson. Knowledge of rabies and how to be safe around dogs increased following the lesson (both p<0.001), and knowledge remained higher than baseline 9 weeks after the lesson (both p<0.001). Knowledge of rabies and how to be safe around dogs was greater amongst school children who had received the lesson compared to school children who had not received the lesson, but had been exposed to a rabies vaccination campaign in their community (both p<0.001) indicating that the lesson itself was critical in improving knowledge. In summary, we have shown that a short, focused classroom-based lesson on rabies can improve short and medium-term rabies knowledge and attitudes of Malawian schoolchildren.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards rabies prevention among residents of Abuja municipal area council, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria.

IntroductionRabies is a fatal neglected zoonosis killing 55,000 people worldwide annually. It is endemic in Nigeria with 10,000 people exposed annually through dog-bites. To inform adequate intervention due to the rise in reported dog-bite cases, we assessed knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP).MethodsWe carried out a cross-sectional study among 224 residents in Abuja Municipal Area Council. We used structured questionnaires to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge and attitudes on rabies prevention. Knowledge score of ≥ 8 points based on ten-point domain question were regarded as satisfactory. We analyzed data using Epi-Info and Excel for proportions and associations were determined at 5% significance level.ResultsA total of 123 (55%) respondents owned dogs. One hundred and eighty four (82%) respondents had satisfactory knowledge on rabies prevention, about 87% knew where to get dogs vaccinated and would seek medical treatment from the hospital when bitten by a dog. Majority (58%) did not know the frequency of anti-rabies administration for dogs and 63.3% did not know the appropriate first aid actions following dog-bites. Of 123 dog owners, 35% would allow their dogs roam without restriction and 94% reported vaccinating their dogs against rabies. Dog owners were more likely to have satisfactory knowledge of rabies compared to non-dog owners (OR 7.8, 95% CI 1.0-62.0, p = 0.02).ConclusionKnowledge on rabies is satisfactory but with gaps in the frequency of dog anti-rabies vaccination, appropriate first-aid following dog bites and non restriction of dog movement. To prevent rabies, these gaps need to be addressed through public enlightenment and enforcement of dog movement restrictions laws.

Determinants of dog owner-charged rabies vaccination in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Rabies is a preventable fatal disease that causes about 61,000 human deaths annually around the world, mostly in developing countries. In Africa, several studies have shown that vaccination of pets is effective in controlling the disease. An annual vaccination coverage of 70% is recommended by the World Health Organization as a control threshold. The effective control of rabies requires vaccination coverage of owned dogs. Identification of the factors determining dog owners’ choice to vaccinate is necessary for evidence-based policy-making. However, for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the limited data on rabies vaccination coverage makes it difficult for its control and formulation of appropriate policies. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kinshasa (Lemba commune) with dog-owning households and owned dogs as study populations. The association between dog vaccination and independent factors (household socio-demographics characteristics, dog characteristics, knowledge of rabies and location of veterinary offices/clinics) was performed with Epi-info 7. The Odds Ratio (OR) and p-value < 0.05 were used to determine levels of significance. A total of 166 households owning dogs and 218 owned dogs were investigated. 47% of the dogs had been vaccinated within one year preceding the survey which is higher than the critical coverage (25 to 40%) necessary to interrupt rabies transmission but below the 70% threshold recommended by WHO for control. The determinants of vaccination included socio-economic level of the household (OR = 2.9, p<0.05), formal education level of the dog owner (OR = 4, p<0.05), type of residence (OR = 4.6, p<0.05), knowledge of rabies disease (OR = 8.0, p<0.05), knowledge of location of veterinary offices/clinics (OR = 3.4, p<0.05), dog gender (OR = 1.6, p<0.05) and dog breed (OR = 2.1, p<0.05). This study shows that the vaccination coverage in this area can easily reach the WHO threshold if supplemented by mass vaccination campaigns.

Open garbage dumps and knowledge of rabies among sanitary workers

Background: Rabies is a potentially fatal disease with significant public health importance. Awareness among sanitation workers is a key component for prevention, and needs to be addressed. Therefore, a study was conducted with the objectives to determine the awareness of rabies and role of open garbage dumps in the spread of rabies among sanitary workers.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from January to February, 2017. All of the 65 sanitation workers employed by the University Health Office, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh were included in the study after taking their verbal consent. A total of 26 Open Garbage Dumps were studied and classified. The knowledge of rabies was assessed by evolving a scoring system. The data were then analyzed using SPSS statistical software version 24.0.Results: The mean age of the study population is 32.93 years (mean 38 years, SD 9.74). 62 (95.4%) were males. Mean duration of work was 8.14 years (SD 7.45). Maximum number of study participants had received education uptil high school and belonged to social class II. Mean knowledge score paired with different socio-demographic variables show a highly significant association with age, sex, duration of work, education, religion, socio-economic status and whether they owned a pet or not.Conclusions: Our study revealed that knowledge regarding OGDs and their role in the spread of rabies is poor. OGDs near residential houses and stray dogs increase the risk factors for canine rabies. Therefore, sustained efforts to decrease the stray dog population in residential areas should be advocated.

Community-based survey during rabies outbreaks in Rangjung town, Trashigang, eastern Bhutan, 2016

BackgroundRabies is a highly fatal disease transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. Human deaths can be prevented by prompt administering of rabies vaccine and rabies immunoglobulin following the exposure. An assessment of community knowledge, awareness and practices on rabies is important during outbreak to understand their preparedness and target educational messages and response activities by the rapid response team.MethodsA rabies outbreak has occurred in Rangjung town, eastern Bhutan on 4 October 2016. A rapid response team was activated to investigate outbreak and to establish a control program. A community-based questionnaire survey was conducted from 20 to 21 October 2016 to assess the community knowledge of rabies to guide outbreak preparedness and also target educational messages and response activities by the RRT.ResultsA total of 67 respondents were interviewed, of which 61% were female and 39% male. All the respondents have heard of rabies (100%), have knowledge on source of rabies (dog) and its mode of transmission in animals and humans. Most (61%) respondents were aware and also indicated that they would wash the animal bite wound with soap and water and seek medical care on the same day of exposure (100%). Majority (94%) of the respondents have indicated that they would report to the government agencies if they see any suspected rabid dogs in the community and suggested various control measures for dog population management and rabies in Rangjung including neutering procedure and mass dog vaccination. Although only few (10%) of the respondents households owned dogs and cats, but 50% of them have indicated that their dogs were allowed to roam outside the home premises posing risk of contracting rabies through rabid dog bites.ConclusionsAlthough this study indicates a high level of knowledge and awareness on rabies among the community, there exists some knowledge gaps about rabies and therefore, an awareness education should be focused on the source of rabies and rabies virus transmission route to reduce public concern on nonexposure events thereby reducing the cost on unnecessary postexposure treatment.

Knowledge, attitudes and practice survey of rabies and its prevention in a rural population of barabanki, uttar pradesh

Knowledge, attitudes and practice survey of rabies and its prevention in a rural population of barabanki, uttar pradesh

Pengetahuan, Sikap, dan Perilaku Masyarakat terhadap Penyakit Rabies di Kabupaten Manggarai, Nusa Tenggara Timur, 2014

Rabies is widely known as disease with high mortality rate. We conducted this study to assess level ofknowledge, attitude and practice regarding rabies in Manggarai regency, Nusa Tenggara Timur. This study wasconducted using cross sectional design. The knowledge, attitude and practice of subjects were determinedusing validated questionnaire. We gathered the data from primary health care located in 9 Manggarai districton July 2014. Out of 278 respondents, 65.8% have poor level of knowledge while 34.2% have good level ofknowledge. Its only 18.3% have poor level of attitude while 81.7% have moderate level of attitude. The 53.2%resident have poor practice related to rabies and 46.8% have moderate level of practice. Level of educationand place of residence are shown to have significant relationship with level of knowledge, attitude and practicetoward rabies. Moreover, subjects with adequate knowledge of rabies tend to have better practices againstthe disease itself (PR=2,391;CI95% 1,879-3,043;p<0,001). Raising level of knowledge of the communityregarding rabies is crucial to improve the practices against the disease. Normal 0 false false false IN X-NONE X-NONE

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Rabies in and Around Lafia Metropolis, Nigeria

Rabies is endemic in Nigeria and other developing countries, killing 55,000 people annually. This descriptive cross-sectional study assessed the knowledge, attitudes and practices of rabies in and around Lafia, Central Nigeria. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to 200 consenting respondents from urban and sub-urban areas in Lafia. Of the 200 respondents, 76.5% heard of rabies with 89% and 64% from urban and sub-urban areas. There was no significant difference on the awareness of rabies among respondents from urban and sub-urban areas (P>0.05). Although there was misperception about the cause of rabies, 41% of the respondents indicated that it can be transmitted through dog bite and contact with open wound, as 36.5% were aware that human and other domestic animals can be affected by rabies. Sudden change in behavior was the obvious clinical manifestation after dog bite as asserted by 42.5% of the respondents. Majority (54.0%) of the respondents will seek post-exposure prophylaxis after dog bite, 18.5% will seek traditional treatment, 16.5% both the later and the former while 11.0% will not take any measure. However, 77.5% of the respondents indicated that legs were the commonest place of dog bite, 69.5% mentioned children as the most risky population. Only 14.0% and 18.5% of the respondents vaccinated their dog and were also vaccinated against rabies while 25.5% and 22.5% recorded the availability of both vaccines. After dog bite, 53.5% and 37.5% of the respondents will prefer to tie and kill the dogs, as 9.0% will take no action. Therefore, the need for rabies awareness programmes within the study area is vital. Rabies vaccines, immunoglobulin and facilities that administer them must become affordable and readily available locally for both dogs and humans.

Estimating the intra-cluster correlation coefficient for evaluating an educational intervention program to improve rabies awareness and dog bite prevention among children in Sikkim, India: A pilot study

BackgroundEducational initiatives targeting at-risk populations have long been recognized as a mainstay of ongoing rabies control efforts. Cluster-based studies are often utilized to assess levels of knowledge, attitudes and practices of a population in response to education campaigns. The design of cluster-based studies requires estimates of intra-cluster correlation coefficients obtained from previous studies. This study estimates the school-level intra-cluster correlation coefficient (ICC) for rabies knowledge change following an educational intervention program. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted with 226 students from 7 schools in Sikkim, India, using cluster sampling. In order to assess knowledge uptake, rabies education sessions with pre- and post-session questionnaires were administered. Paired differences of proportions were estimated for questions answered correctly. A mixed effects logistic regression model was developed to estimate school-level and student-level ICCs and to test for associations between gender, age, school location and educational level. ResultsThe school- and student-level ICCs for rabies knowledge and awareness were 0.04 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.19) and 0.05 (95% CI: 0.2, 0.09), respectively. These ICCs suggest design effect multipliers of 5.45 schools and 1.05 students per school, will be required when estimating sample sizes and designing future cluster randomized trials. There was a good baseline level of rabies knowledge (mean pre-session score 71%), however, key knowledge gaps were identified in understanding appropriate behavior around scared dogs, potential sources of rabies and how to correctly order post rabies exposure precaution steps. After adjusting for the effect of gender, age, school location and education level, school and individual post-session test scores improved by 19%, with similar performance amongst boys and girls attending schools in urban and rural regions. The proportion of participants that were able to correctly order post-exposure precautionary steps following educational intervention increased by 87%. ConclusionThe ICC estimates presented in this study will aid in designing cluster-based studies evaluating educational interventions as part of disease control programs. This study demonstrates the likely benefits of educational intervention incorporating bite prevention and rabies education.

ASSESSING FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH OBSERVED LEVELS OF ADHERENCE TO ANTIRABIES PEP VACCINE AMONG ANIMAL BITE VICTIMS IN MACHAKOS LEVEL FIVE HOSPITAL

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine factors associated with observed levels of adherence to ant rabies PEP vaccine among animal bite victims in Machakos level five hospital.Methodology: The study used Cross sectional study design. It utilized both qualitative and quantitative methods. Data was collected by use of semi-structured questionnaires, physical examination sheet and key informant interview. The study population was victims of animal bites who revisited the health facility for the scheduled PEP vaccine. Random Sampling was used to select the revisiting animal bite victims until a sample size of 68 was achieved. Purposive sampling was used to select health care workers directly involved in management of animal bite victims until a sample size of three was achieved. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 20 and excel computer programs. Qualitative data was analyzed by content analysis. Binary logistic regression and multivariate regression was done.Results: The study findings established that knowledge of rabies significantly affects the level of adherence to antirabies PEP vaccine. At least 48.50% of the respondents admitted that they have no knowledge of rabies and 75% had no knowledge of prevention of rabies. The study also found out that affordability of the cost of PEP vaccine is statistically associated with adherence to anti-rabies PEP vaccination.Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study concluded that: the level of adherence and the overall awareness not only of anti-rabies PEP vaccine, the follow-up of victims to check on the completion of the anti-rabies PEP vaccine schedule but also the management of wounds before visiting health facilities among animal bite victims in MKS L5 Hospital is low, thus a major public health concern both to the community and the county government.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Law Enforcement Officers on Rabies and Animal Control Issues in Kansas.

Rabies is a deadly zoonoses endemic in the United States, including Kansas. Animal control programmes that emphasize vaccination of dogs and cats, removal of stray animals and enforcement of licensure programmes have historically been essential in reducing the risk of rabies exposures to humans (Beran, 1991). Kansas does not mandate the use of animal control officers [ACOs] and in areas where there is no designated animal control officer, law enforcement officers [LEOs] are required to fill that role. Little is known about LEOs' knowledge of rabies, their current practices in responding to animal-related calls or if they receive any specialized training to perform the duties of an ACO. A web-based, voluntary and anonymous survey was sent to law enforcement officers in Kansas in January 2014. The survey included questions about animal control practices and a self-assessment of rabies knowledge. The response rate was 16.2%. All respondents indicated LEOs will respond to animal-related calls, even if there was an ACO available in their department or jurisdiction. A majority of respondents indicated they had not received training on safe animal handling (62.9%, 61/97) or zoonoses prevention (85.6%, 83/97), even though a strong majority considered such training important (89.7% and 79.4%, respectively). Most respondents (>80%) were able to correctly identify animals capable of transmitting rabies but were less aware of how rabies was transmitted or the severity of rabies in humans. Our results demonstrate that Kansas LEOs perform animal control duties, many without the proper training, even though most consider such training to be important to be able to perform their duties safely. Training on safe animal handling and zoonoses prevention should be provided to all LEOs in Kansas to enable them to safely execute their duties and provide timely and accurate information to citizens regarding rabies prevention.

Rabies awareness and dog ownership among rural northern and southern Chadian communities—Analysis of a community-based, cross-sectional household survey

Canine rabies represents a major – but preventable – public health threat in Chad. In preparation for a nation-wide canine parenteral mass vaccination campaign we conducted a community-based, cross-sectional multi-stage cluster survey in 40 villages in two southern and two northern regions of Chad. Our objective was to investigate rabies awareness and dog-ownership among the rural population.Almost half of the households (45%) owned dogs, with an overall dog:human ratio of 1:7.8. Southern households owned almost two thirds (701/918) of all dogs and the number of dogs per household was twice as high compared to the north (2.7 vs. 1.3, respectively). This translates into a dog:human ratio of 1:5.2 in the south and 1:16.4 in the north. Only 76% of the respondents had heard of rabies. Respondents who (1) were male, (2)>19 years, (3) had primary education or higher and (4) were of Muslim faith were more likely to have heard of rabies (p<0.01). High level of rabies knowledge was positively associated with (1) southern residence, (2) any kind of education and (3) Christian or “other” religions. In contrast to rabies awareness, high level of knowledge was negatively associated with increasing age.11% of respondents reported that at least one family member had been bitten by a dog in the past year and half of these bite victims were children. 31% of respondents knew someone who had died of rabies and twice as many (58%) reported having encountered a rabid animal. Most of the respondents could identify classical rabies symptoms (58–94%), however they lacked knowledge about rabies prevention and appropriate wound management. Only 2 out of 963 (0.5%) reported to have vaccinated their dog.A major proportion of our study population is at great risk of rabies (likely higher than 7 rabies death per million per year) due to lack of awareness of the disease, inappropriate post-bite treatment and insufficient knowledge about preventive measures. This reflects the urgent need for advocacy programs to raise rabies awareness among the community. Close intersectoral collaboration between the public health and veterinary sector and integration of local authorities, is a key element in the fight against rabies

Risk factors associated with nonvaccination rabies status of dogs in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Canine rabies has been enzootic in the dog population of the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa since the mid-1970s and has been associated with high rates of human exposures and frequent transmissions to other domestic animal species. Several decades of control efforts, consisting primarily of mass vaccination programs, failed to sufficiently curb rabies in this province. For meaningful progression toward better control and elimination, the factors contributing to the persistence of this disease need to be elucidated and addressed. This paper reports evaluated observations from survey records captured through a cross-sectional observational study regarding owned canine populations in this South African province. We used logistic regression modeling to predict variables associated with risk of nonvaccination of rabies in owned dogs. The study indicated that husbandry practices, rabies knowledge, geographical area/location, and the ages of dogs were important factors associated with the risk of nonvaccination. High population turnover, together with large free roaming dog populations, compromised the levels of vaccination achieved and contributed to the persistence of dog rabies in the province. Dog owners in this study also reported that they were more likely to present their dogs for vaccination when the vaccines were free of charge (52%) and less than a kilometer from their homes (91%). It has been suggested that effective dog rabies control requires 70% or more of the dog population to be vaccinated. Our data showed that this figure was not reached in the surveyed dog population.

Rabies: Knowledge and Practices Regarding Rabies in Rural Communities of the Brazilian Amazon Basin.

BackgroundThe occurrence of outbreaks of human rabies transmitted by Desmodus rotundus in Brazil in 2004 and 2005 reinforced the need for further research into this zoonosis. Studies of knowledge and practices related to the disease will help to define strategies for the avoidance of new cases, through the identification of gaps that may affect the preventive practices.Methodology/Principal findingsA semi-structured questionnaire was applied to 681 residents of twelve communities of northeastern Pará state involved in the 2004 and 2005 outbreaks mentioned above. The objective was to evaluate the local knowledge and practices related to the disease. We found a highly significant difference (p<0.0001) in the knowledge of rabies among education levels, indicating that education is a primary determinant of knowledge on this disease. More than half of the respondents (63%) recognized the seriousness of the zoonosis, and 50% were aware of the importance of bats for its transmission, although few individuals (11%) were familiar with the symptoms, and only 40% knew methods of prevention. Even so, 70% of pet owners maintained their animals vaccinated, and 52% of the respondents bitten by bats had received post-exposure vaccination. Most of the respondents (57%) reported being familiarized with rabies through informal discussions, and only a few (23%) mentioned public health agents as the source of their information.Conclusion/SignificanceWe identified many gaps in the knowledge and practices of the respondents regarding rabies. This may be the result of the reduced participation of public health agents in the transfer of details about the disease. The lack of knowledge may be a direct determinant in the occurrence of new outbreaks. Given these findings, there is a clear need for specific educational initiatives involving the local population and the public health entities, with the primary aim of contributing to the prevention of rabies.

A study on knowledge of animal bite victims regarding animal bite and rabies attending tertiary care hospital of Rewa City, Madhya Pradesh

Background: Rabies is an acute fatal viral encephalitis that usually transmitted from animals to man followed by domestic and wild animal bites. Objective: To identify the level of general awareness and knowledge of wound management and rabies among the cases of animal bite and to study the awareness of people about antirabies vaccines and health service utilization. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional institutional study was conducted in 406 animal bite victims presenting to the tertiary care hospital, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh. A pretested and structured oral questionnaire was used to elicit the required information regarding knowledge of animal bite victims about animal bite and rabies, its transmission, prevention, and control. Data were analyzed using graphpad software. Result: All 406 animal bite victims knew about injury after animal bite. 54.9% victims knew about fatality of rabies, 63.7% victims knew that rabies is caused by biting of animal, and 17.4% knew that rabies is transmitted by saliva. Source of information was health facility for 48% victims. 85.5% victims knew about application of antiseptic solution on animal bite wound. 34% victims knew about correct number of injection, 40.4% knew about correct site, and 33.3% knew that ARV should be taken immediately. 57.9% victims knew that observation should be done in animal. 33.1% victims knew that local treatment should be taken as soon as possible. Conclusion: This study has shown that the community level knowledge is satisfactory about rabies, its prevention, and control. Knowledge found to be low for the modes of rabies transmission, prevention methods after suspected animal bite, the first action taken in the home after bitten by a suspected animal and for ARV.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Animal Bite Victims Attending an Anti-rabies Health Center in Jimma Town, Ethiopia.

BackgroundRabies is an important but preventable cause of death in Ethiopia. We assessed the knowledge, attitudes and practices of animal bite victims attending an anti-rabies health center in Jimma Town, Ethiopia.Methodology/Principal FindingsBetween July 2012 and March 2013 a cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to 384 bite victims or their guardians in the case of minors (aged <15 years). Factors associated with knowledge, attitudes and practices were evaluated using generalized linear models. Almost all participants (99%) were aware that rabies was transmitted by the bite or lick of a rabid dog, however only 20.1% identified “germs” as the cause of disease. A majority of participants stated rabies could be prevented by avoiding dog bites (64.6%) and confining dogs (53.9%); fewer (41.7%) recognized vaccination of dogs/cats as an important preventive strategy. Regarding attitudes, most (91.1%) agreed that medical evaluation should be sought as soon as possible. However, most (75.0%) also believed that traditional healers could cure rabies. Rural residence (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.1, p = 0.015) and Protestant religion (OR = 2.4, p = 0.041) were independently associated with this belief. Among 186 participants who owned dogs, only 9 (4.8%) had ever vaccinated their dog and more than 90% of respondents indicated that their dog was free-roaming or cohabitated with the family. Only 7.0% of participants applied correct first aid following exposure, and the majority (47.7%) reported that the animal was killed by the community following the incident. Female sex and Muslim religion were independently associated with higher and lower practices scores, respectively, due largely to differences in animal management practices following the incident.Conclusions/SignificanceAlthough respondents demonstrated reasonably sound knowledge of rabies and its transmission, attitudes and practices were inconsistent with rabies prevention. Culturally- and gender-sensitive activities that promote proper first aid and healthcare seeking behavior as well as appropriate animal management, particularly in rural areas, are needed to prevent deaths associated with rabies in this setting.

Community rabies knowledge and pet vaccination practices after a skunk rabies outbreak in Eddy County, New Mexico.

To determine percentages of domestic cats and dogs vaccinated against rabies, identify barriers to vaccination, and assess knowledge about rabies in a semirural New Mexico community after a skunk rabies outbreak. Cross-sectional, door-to-door, bilingual, community-based participatory survey. 366 residential properties in Eddy County, NM. The New Mexico Department of Health and CDC administered surveys and analyzed data. Individuals at 247 of the 366 residential properties participated in the survey. One hundred eighty of the 247 (73%) households owned a dog (n = 292) or cat (163). Cats were more likely than dogs to not have an up-to-date rabies vaccination status (prevalence ratio, 3.2; 95% confidence interval, 2.3 to 4.4). Cost and time or scheduling were the most frequently identified barriers to vaccination. One hundred sixty (65%) respondents did not know livestock can transmit rabies, 78 (32%) did not know rabies is fatal, and 89 (36%) did not know a bat scratching a person can be an exposure. Only 187 (76%) respondents indicated they would contact animal control if they saw a sick skunk, and only 166 (67%) indicated they would contact animal control if bitten by a dog they did not own. Findings indicated that rabies vaccination prevalence among pet dogs and cats was low, despite the fact that the region had experienced a skunk rabies outbreak during the previous 2 years. In addition, substantial percentages of respondents did not have correct knowledge of rabies or rabies exposure.

Uptake of rabies control measures by dog owners in Flores Island, Indonesia.

BackgroundRabies has been a serious public health threat in Flores Island, Indonesia since it was introduced in 1997. To control the disease, annual dog vaccination campaigns have been implemented to vaccinate all dogs free of charge. Nevertheless, the uptake rate of the vaccination campaigns has been low. The objective of this paper is to identify risk factors associated with the uptake of rabies control measures by individual dog owners in Flores Island.Methodology/principal findingsA total of 450 dog owners from 44 randomly selected villages in the Sikka and Manggarai regencies were interviewed regarding their socio-demographic factors, knowledge of rabies, and their uptake of rabies control measures. The majority of dog owners surveyed (>90%) knew that rabies is a fatal disease and that it can be prevented. Moreover, 68% of the dog owners had a high level of knowledge about available rabies control measures. Fifty-two percent of the dog owners had had at least one of their dogs vaccinated during the 2012 vaccination campaign. Vaccination uptake was significantly higher for dog owners who resided in Sikka, kept female dogs for breeding, had an income of more than one million Rupiah, and had easy access to their village. The most important reasons not to join the vaccination campaign were lack of information about the vaccination campaign schedule (40%) and difficulty to catch the dog during the vaccination campaign (37%).Conclusions/significanceDog owners in Flores Island had a high level of knowledge of rabies and its control, but this was not associated with uptake of the 2012 vaccination campaign. Geographical accessibility was one of the important factors influencing the vaccination uptake among dog owners. Targeted distribution of information on vaccination schedules and methods to catch and restrain dogs in those villages with poor accessibility may increase vaccination uptake in the future.

Outcomes of a school-based intervention on rabies prevention among school children in rural Sri Lanka.

In Sri Lanka, one of the major challenges in rabies control is to manage the dog population and subsequently to protect people, especially young children, from dog bites. In 2009, an educational-entertainment campaign called 'Rabies Edutainment 4 Kids' was introduced in the school curricula in rural Sri Lanka to improve practices on rabies prevention and pet care among school children, and to evaluate its effectiveness through pre- and post-tests. The level of rabies knowledge, attitude and practice among the pupils was dependent on their responses to a survey, and scores were significantly improved both among the study and control groups after the intervention. A lecture accompanied by a rabies awareness leaflet was much more effective in improving knowledge than the leaflet alone. The type of intervention and language used was significantly associated with the score increment (p<0.001). The threat of rabies to pupils in Sri Lanka would be reduced if they are given appropriate information on rabies prevention as a part of the school curricula. Close collaboration with local education offices is key to successful implementation of school-based rabies control programmes, which is, in turn, crucial to the eradication of rabies from Sri Lanka.