Knowledge, Attitude and Practice for Brucellosis amongst Migratory Animal Handlers: A Cross-sectional Study in Maharashtra, India

Abstract

Introduction: Brucellosis is a highly infectious zoonosis affecting humans and animals. It is a multi-burden disease leading to severe economic losses due to disability in humans, and it also causes abortion, infertility, and reduced milk production in animals. An essential element for effective prevention and control of brucellosis is to improve Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) of the community. Aim: To evaluate KAP for human brucellosis to determine the risk factors among Migratory Animal Handlers (MAH) in Nagpur and Chandrapur district of Maharashtra state in India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 143 subjects chosen randomly from Nagpur and Chandrapur districts, Maharashtra. A structured and validated questionnaire was used for demographic characteristics and KAP. Data was entered in Microsoft Excel and analysed by SPSS. Descriptive statistics accustomed to demographic feature and KAP. Results: All 143 respondents (87 from Nagpur and 56 from Chandrapur) were males. Age ranged from 20 to 50 years. The majority of 139 (97%) respondents were married. Of 143 respondents, none had heard of brucellosis, 125 (87%) consumed unpasteurised milk, 37 (26%) assisted during calving, and 34 (24%) milking the animal. None of the respondents used protective clothing while assisting in animal delivery or handling birth products. One hundred and thirty six (95%) respondents informed that they treated the animal without consulting a veterinarian. Conclusion: This study showed poor knowledge and high-risk behaviours and self-reported practices for brucellosis among MAH. Public health education for MAH should be enhanced with full capacity as an integral part of the National Control Program on Brucellosis in India.