Mixed Methods Survey of Zoonotic Disease Awareness and Practice among Animal and Human Healthcare Providers in Moshi, Tanzania.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Zoonoses are common causes of human and livestock illness in Tanzania.
Previous studies have shown that brucellosis, leptospirosis, and Q fever account for
a large proportion of human febrile illness in northern Tanzania, yet they are infrequently
diagnosed. We conducted this study to assess awareness and knowledge regarding selected
zoonoses among healthcare providers in Moshi, Tanzania; to determine what diagnostic
and treatment protocols are utilized; and obtain insights into contextual factors
contributing to the apparent under-diagnosis of zoonoses. METHODOLOGY/RESULTS: We
conducted a questionnaire about zoonoses knowledge, case reporting, and testing with
52 human health practitioners and 10 livestock health providers. Immediately following
questionnaire administration, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 60 of these
respondents, using the findings of a previous fever etiology study to prompt conversation.
Sixty respondents (97%) had heard of brucellosis, 26 (42%) leptospirosis, and 20 (32%)
Q fever. Animal sector respondents reported seeing cases of animal brucellosis (4),
rabies (4), and anthrax (3) in the previous 12 months. Human sector respondents reported
cases of human brucellosis (15, 29%), rabies (9, 18%) and anthrax (6, 12%). None reported
leptospirosis or Q fever cases. Nineteen respondents were aware of a local diagnostic
test for human brucellosis. Reports of tests for human leptospirosis or Q fever, or
for any of the study pathogens in animals, were rare. Many respondents expressed awareness
of malaria over-diagnosis and zoonoses under-diagnosis, and many identified low knowledge
and testing capacity as reasons for zoonoses under-diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: This study
revealed differences in knowledge of different zoonoses and low case report frequencies
of brucellosis, leptospirosis, and Q fever. There was a lack of known diagnostic services
for leptospirosis and Q fever. These findings emphasize a need for improved diagnostic
capacity alongside healthcare provider education and improved clinical guidelines
for syndrome-based disease management to provoke diagnostic consideration of locally
relevant zoonoses in the absence of laboratory confirmation.
Type
Journal articleSubject
AdultAged
Aged, 80 and over
Animals
Attitude of Health Personnel
Awareness
Female
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Health Personnel
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Male
Middle Aged
Professional Competence
Surveys and Questionnaires
Tanzania
Young Adult
Zoonoses
Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/10161/13762Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1371/journal.pntd.0004476Publication Info
Zhang, Helen L; Mnzava, Kunda W; Mitchell, Sarah T; Melubo, Matayo L; Kibona, Tito
J; Cleaveland, Sarah; ... Halliday, Jo EB (2016). Mixed Methods Survey of Zoonotic Disease Awareness and Practice among Animal and Human
Healthcare Providers in Moshi, Tanzania. PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 10(3). pp. e0004476. 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004476. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/13762.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
Collections
More Info
Show full item recordScholars@Duke
John Andrew Crump
Adjunct Professor in the Department of Medicine
I am based in northern Tanzania where I am Site Leader for Duke University’s
collaborative research program based at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre and Director
of Tanzania Operations for the Duke Global Health Institute. I oversee the design
and implementation of research studies on infectious diseases, particularly febrile
illness, invasive bacterial disease, HIV-associated opportunistic infections, clinical
trials of antiretroviral therapy and prevention of mother-to-child tr
Helen Zhang
House Staff
Alphabetical list of authors with Scholars@Duke profiles.

Articles written by Duke faculty are made available through the campus open access policy. For more information see: Duke Open Access Policy
Rights for Collection: Scholarly Articles
Works are deposited here by their authors, and represent their research and opinions, not that of Duke University. Some materials and descriptions may include offensive content. More info