One Health Outlook volume 6 , Article number: 10 Cite this article. Metrics details. Zoonoses are infectious diseases that are transmitted from animals to humans. Studying the knowledge, perceptions and practices of communities related to zoonoses and the associated risk factors is crucial for effective control and prevention. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, perceptions, and practices of respondents on zoonoses and the associated risk factors in and around Chiro town, Ethiopia.
Zoonotic diseases, such as rabies, anthrax, bovine tuberculosis, and brucellosis, pose a direct threat to health and livelihoods in the communities where they occur. These diseases emerge due to a combination of human-animal interactions, migration, and contact with wildlife and their respective parasites and vectors. A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to July in and around Chiro town using a pretested close-ended questionnaire.
A total of respondents were selected using simple random sampling methods. The questionnaire included information on the sociodemographic status of the respondents and questions concerning the knowledge, perceptions, and practices of the participants regarding the selected zoonotic diseases. The associations of knowledge, perceptions, and practices related to zoonoses with zoonotic risk factors were analysed using chi-square tests.
The study revealed that Males had greater knowledge of bovine tuberculosis Most respondents mentioned the outbreaks of rabies Respondents with higher educational levels and urban residents had more knowledge of zoonoses. The majority of respondents reported that they had knowledge of bovine tuberculosis and rabies, but lower knowledge and perceptions were reported for anthrax and brucellosis.
These findings illustrate the need for collaboration among animal, human and environmental health offices in one health approach to prevent and control zoonotic disease. Zoonoses are infectious diseases that are transmitted between animals and humans by means of numerous groups of viruses, bacteria, fungi, Rickettsia, prions, and parasites in a variety of animal reservoirs, including wildlife, livestock, pet animals, and birds [ 1 ].
