Descriptive analyses of knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding rabies transmission and prevention in rural communities near wildlife reserves in Uganda: a One Health cross-sectional study

• Published in: Tropical Medicine and Health
• Main Authors: Collins G. K. Atuheire, James Okwee-Acai, Martha Taremwa, Odoch Terence, Sarah N. Ssali, Frank N. Mwiine, Clovice Kankya, Eystein Skjerve, Morten Tryland
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2024
• Subjects: Rabies; Rural communities; Wildlife reserves; Knowledge; Attitudes; Practices; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic; Murchison
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-024-00615-2; https://doaj.org/article/1ad0ee161d26494a8d64f4ebe60f0361

Abstract Background Despite urban (domestic dog) rabies cycles being the main target for rabies elimination by 2030, sylvatic (wildlife) rabies cycles can act as rabies spillovers especially in settlements contiguous to wildlife reserves. Rural communities next to wildlife reserves are characterized by unique socio-demographic and cultural practices including bat consumption, hunting for bushmeat, and non-vaccination of hunting dogs against rabies among others. This study aimed to compare the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) related to rabies transmission and prevention in the three districts of Uganda; (1) Nwoya, neighboring Murchison Falls National Park (MFNP) in the north, (2) Kamwenge neighboring Kibaale National Park (KNP), Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) and Katonga Game Reserve (KGR) in the west, and (3) Bukedea, neighboring Pian Upe Game Reserve (PUGR) in the east of Uganda. Methods A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in settlements contiguous to these wildlife reserves. Using a semi-structured questionnaire, data were collected from 843 households owning dogs and livestock. Data were collected between the months of January and April 2023. Stratified univariate analyses by district were carried out using the Chi-square test for independence and Fisher’s exact test to compare KAPs in the three study districts. Results The median age of study participants was 42 years (Q1, Q3 = 30, 52) with males comprising the majority (67%, n = 562). The key findings revealed that participants from the Nwoya district in the north (MFNP) had little knowledge about rabies epidemiology (8.5%, n = 25), only 64% (n = 187) of them knew its signs and symptoms such as a rabid dog presenting with aggressiveness and showed negative attitudes towards prevention measures (15.3%, n = 45). Participants in the Kamwenge district-west (KNP, QENP, and KGR) had little knowledge and negative attitude towards wildlife–human interaction pertaining to rabies transmission and prevention especially those with no ...