Knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) towards Anthrax among livestock farmers in selected rural areas of Bangladesh

BACKGROUND: Bacillus anthracis is a zoonotic bacterium that affects wide numbers of vertebrate animals and man and has life threating potential both in animal s as well as humans. METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted to assess the knowledge about, attitudes towards, and practices addressing (KAPs) anthrax among community members in selected upazillas’ of Meherpur and Sirajgonj districts for the prevention and control of anthrax using a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 424 community members were considered in this study irrespective of their age and sex. Most of the respondents were female (57.54%) and about half were illiterate (47.40%). Most of the respondents (86.32%) were self‐employed with crop and livestock farming. Among the self‐employed farmers, cattle (63.73%) were the highest reared animals. Among the respondents, 37.26% had no knowledge about anthrax. On the other hand, among the existing knowledge level, 46.69% received information of anthrax from neighbour, 74.05% and 56.82% were concerned about the mode of transmission of anthrax from animal to human through eating, handling and soil. Respondents usually collected vaccine from quack (58.25%) and vaccination status was highest in Kamarkhand (52.03%) and lowest in Gangni upazilla (10.82%). Overall 62.74% community members considered that anthrax is a fatal disease for livestock and 82.54% people disposed carcass in buried method. CONCLUSION: The study findings indicated that the community members had average knowledge on cause, symptoms, transmission and prevention of anthrax. The supplied vaccine was found negligible with the number of livestock in the studied upazilas. Veterinary and Medical health planners should design and implement interventions for awareness building on anthrax under One Health (OH) approach for educating the community people on anthrax control and prevention.