Assessment of Community Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP)About Rabies in Mizan Aman Town, SNNPRS, Ethiopia, 2024

Abstract

Introduction: Africa is, together with Asia, the continent that suffers from most human deaths related to rabies. In Ethiopia, rabies is an important disease that has been recognized for many centuries. According to Mizan Teppi University Teaching Hospital annual report showed that rabies had been well established and become endemic in and around Mizan Aman town and majority of rabies cases were suspected dog bites. This study was conducted in Mizan Aman during January, 25 to April, 18 2024 to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the communities on rabies. Methods: A community based cross-sectional questionnaire survey was carried out with a face to face interview method and involved 392 participants by systematic random sampling technique. The data was entered in to a Microsoft excel 2007 spread sheet computer program. Data analysis was made by using pivot table. Result: In this study dog bite (70.9%) was the principal source of human rabies exposure while wildlife was the next (26.5%). According to the study participant Bite, contact with saliva and scratch with teeth 63.5%, 13.3%, 13% respectively are the main mode of rabies transmission. Of the 392 respondents 35(8.9%) had dogs. The findings of this study indicate that the incidence/human exposures of dog bit were 13.5%. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that the incidence/human exposures of dog bit were high. In this study dog bite was the principal source of human rabies exposure while wildlife was the next. We recommended the town administrative needs Inter-sectoral collaboration among Veterinary services, Public Health and Wild life