Knowledge, Attitude and Practice about Dog Bite and ... - eJManager

Journal of Veterinary Advances

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice about Dog Bite and Rabies Exposure among Dog Meat Consumers and Processors in Abia State, Nigeria Mshelbwala P. P., Ogunkoya A. B., Abdullahi S. U., Maikai B. V. and Atuman J.A

J Vet Adv 2014, 4(2): 398-404 DOI: 10.5455/jva.20140214105801

Online version is available on: www.grjournals.com

MSHELBWALA ET AL.

ISSN: 2251-7685

Original Article

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice about Dog Bite and Rabies Exposure among Dog Meat Consumers and Processors in Abia State, Nigeria 1

Mshelbwala P. P., 1Ogunkoya A. B., 1Abdullahi S. U., 2Maikai B. V. and 3Atuman J.A 1

2

Department of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria. 3 National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Nigeria.

Abstract This study was carried out to find out the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) as it relates to rabies exposure among dog meat consumers and processors in Abia State, Nigeria. A total of 100 questionnaires were administered and the respondents comprised of 81 dog consumers and 19 processors. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used for the analysis. Results showed that, 100% of the respondents were not previously vaccinated against rabies and consume dog meat in a cooked form. The result also established that 94.7% of the processors and 33.3% of the consumers were previously bitten by dog. Despite the fact that majority of the processors (73.7%) and consumers (71.6%) had prior knowledge of rabies, but on exposure, 72.8% and 70.4% respectively sought traditional methods of treatment following dog bite. A greater percentage (76.5%) believed that clinical rabies had market value more than non clinical rabies because parts from rabid dogs were considered more effective in treatment of some ailments such as malaria, enhancement of libido and spiritual protection, there was no significant association between KAP in relation to dog bite and rabies exposure (p=0.53). This study established that there was a high level of awareness of rabies by consumers and processors in the study area. though rabid dog was not seen as a public health concern but rather associated with medicinal and spiritual values. This belief may pose a health hazard and may militate against the control of rabies in the state. Keywords: Rabies, knowledge, attitude, practice, abia.

 Corresponding author: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. Received on: 16 Dec 2013 Revised on: 10 Jan 2014 Accepted on: 14 Feb 2014 Online Published on:28 Feb 2014

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J. Vet. Adv., 2014, 4(2): 398-404

KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE ABOUT DOG ...

Introduction Rabies though a vaccine preventable disease, yet over 50,000 people die of the disease yearly, 55% of which occur in Africa and Asia (WHO, 2011). Dog bite is the wound sustained from the teeth of dogs. It is of great public health concern as must cases of human deaths from rabies have been almost always attributed to dog bite (Rupretcht, 2008; Debra, 2009). The saliva of dogs which is the major medium of rabies infection have been documented to contain high concentration of rabies virus (Beran, 1981; Ogunkoya, 2003; Mshelbwal et al., 2013a). Dog bite have resulted in loss of human lives in Cross River State, Nigeria, recently , although confirmatory diagnosis was not made as the dogs were consumed before the arrival of Veterinary authorities in the affected state (OIE, 2012). Dog trade and consumption have continued to attract dogs from different parts of the country and neighboring countries (OIE, 2012). The practice of dog consumption has been accepted in some parts of the country as a culture and norms, conversely in some states, particularly the Muslim dominated north, dog consumption is forbidden (Audu, 2011). The practice of dog consumption is not only limited to Nigeria; it has also been reported in other African countries namely, Cameron, Ghana (Simmons, 1994) as well as other continents (Schwabe, 1979). This practice is capable of causing rabies exposure, as Rabies infection through the handling and skinning of rabid animals has been documented (Tarig et al., 1991; Mshelbwala et al., 2013). Dog meat processors (butchers) and consumers are among the high risk group as they come in contact with dogs whose vaccination history is not known. rabies virus antigens have been detected in 5% of dogs slaughtered in Abia State (Mshelbwala et al., 2013c), it was therefore important to find out their knowledge, attitude and practice as it relates to dog bite and rabies exposure, as this may serve as a step in the control of rabies, in the future. For a long time, dog trade and consumption has been widely practiced in Abia State and as such one can hypothesize that the knowledge of dog meat processors and consumers in the State as it relates to 399

dog bites and rabies exposure is not low. Likewise, their attitudes and practices towards dog bites and rabies exposure is not bad. Materials and Methods Study Area Located in the southeastern part of Nigeria, Abia State lies within approximately latitudes 4° 40' and 6° 14' north of the equator, and longitudes 7° 10' and 8° east of the Greenwich meridian. The state shares common boundaries to the north with Ebonyi State; to the South and Southwest with Rivers State; and to the east and southeast with Cross River and Akwa lbom States respectively. To the west is Imo State, and to the northwest is Anambra State. The state covers an area of about 5,243.7 sq. km which is approximately 5.8 per cent of the total land area of Nigeria. With its capital at Umuahia, it has seventeen Local Government areas, namely: Aba North, Aba South, Isiala Ngwa North, Isiala Ngwa South, Ukwa West, Ukwa East, Obingwa, lkwuano, Bende, Arochukwu, Ohafia, lsuikwuato, Umuahia North, Umuahia South, Ugwunagbo, Osisioma and Nnochi. The study was carried out in Four Local Government Areas namely, Umuahia North, Bende, Ohafia and Ikwuano. Sample Method and Data Collection One hundred questionnaires were administered to respondents comprising of dog meat consumers and processors who were willing to participate in the study, from April to June, 2013. It was administered in the form of oral interview, to determine their demography, knowledge about rabies, frequency of dog bite, method of treatment following bite, attitude towards rabid dogs, reason for consuming dog meat and practice on sighting a rabid dog. Visit was also made during the time of slaughter to see the practice of dog meat processors. Statistical Analysis In this study, data generated were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social science (SPSS) Version 17.0 to carryout descriptive analysis. Chi-square was used to test for association between categorical variables. Value of p