Anthrax is an important zoonotic disease in Kenya causing high morbidity and mortality in both human and livestock.It is endemic in the country.The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge,attitude and prac...Anthrax is an important zoonotic disease in Kenya causing high morbidity and mortality in both human and livestock.It is endemic in the country.The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge,attitude and practices(KAPS)of anthrax among pastoralists in Wajir,Isiolo and Marsabit.The study was cross-sectional whereby various areas of anthrax outbreaks were identified through the veterinary departments in the three study counties of Wajir,Isiolo and Marsabit.These areas were visited and using systematic sampling methods,a total of 400 households were visited.Data were collected through questionnaires administered via personal interviews.Information collected included demographic characteristics of the households,knowledge on anthrax,attitude and practices on the disease.Pastoralists had adequate knowledge on anthrax.They correctly pointed out the clinical signs of anthrax in livestock such as sudden death,bleeding from body orifices and cutanous sores.The indigenous knowledge was uniform in all the three counties.Despite that knowledge,they reportedly engaged in dangerous practices that would expose them to infection by anthrax.These practices included consumption of meat from suspect anthrax cases,opening of carcasses of dead animals and throwing of anthrax suspect carcasses in bushes.Anthrax is a well known disease in this pastoral setting.There is a need for education programmes to be designed for this community especially with regard to proper handling of suspect anthrax cases.Continuous anthrax efforts should be initiated through vaccination of livestock.展开更多
文摘Anthrax is an important zoonotic disease in Kenya causing high morbidity and mortality in both human and livestock.It is endemic in the country.The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge,attitude and practices(KAPS)of anthrax among pastoralists in Wajir,Isiolo and Marsabit.The study was cross-sectional whereby various areas of anthrax outbreaks were identified through the veterinary departments in the three study counties of Wajir,Isiolo and Marsabit.These areas were visited and using systematic sampling methods,a total of 400 households were visited.Data were collected through questionnaires administered via personal interviews.Information collected included demographic characteristics of the households,knowledge on anthrax,attitude and practices on the disease.Pastoralists had adequate knowledge on anthrax.They correctly pointed out the clinical signs of anthrax in livestock such as sudden death,bleeding from body orifices and cutanous sores.The indigenous knowledge was uniform in all the three counties.Despite that knowledge,they reportedly engaged in dangerous practices that would expose them to infection by anthrax.These practices included consumption of meat from suspect anthrax cases,opening of carcasses of dead animals and throwing of anthrax suspect carcasses in bushes.Anthrax is a well known disease in this pastoral setting.There is a need for education programmes to be designed for this community especially with regard to proper handling of suspect anthrax cases.Continuous anthrax efforts should be initiated through vaccination of livestock.
