Assessment of risk, landscape epidemiology and management strategies to combat alveolar echinococcosis in the rural communities of Hunza, Pakistan
BackgroundHuman alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a neglected zoonotic disease. Prevalence of AE in humans is reported in Pakistan as a result of poor economic and sanitary conditions, close proximity to wildlife and limited knowledge of AE. Studies on the prevalence and transmission of AE have been l...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1015475/full |
| _version_ | 1811189364634419200 |
|---|---|
| author | Naila Jamill Haroon Ahmed Muhammad Sohail Afzal Sami Simsek Abid Ali Muhammad Arshad Chenghang Yu Chenghang Yu Chenghang Yu Jianping Cao Jianping Cao Jianping Cao Jianping Cao |
| author_facet | Naila Jamill Haroon Ahmed Muhammad Sohail Afzal Sami Simsek Abid Ali Muhammad Arshad Chenghang Yu Chenghang Yu Chenghang Yu Jianping Cao Jianping Cao Jianping Cao Jianping Cao |
| author_sort | Naila Jamill |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundHuman alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a neglected zoonotic disease. Prevalence of AE in humans is reported in Pakistan as a result of poor economic and sanitary conditions, close proximity to wildlife and limited knowledge of AE. Studies on the prevalence and transmission of AE have been limited, especially for rural Pakistan. The study objectives were to identify knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to AE, to determine awareness of the disease, and to identify knowledge about possible risk factors of infections involving the landscape epidemiological attributes of rural villages in Hunza, one of the districts of Gilgit-Baltistan, a region of Pakistan that borders China.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among the general population of Hunza to establish the level of awareness, knowledge, attitudes, practices, landscape epidemiology, and disease management and control relating to AE in rural areas of Hunza. Data were collected by questionnaire.ResultsA total of 387 questionnaires was received. Statistical analysis showed that the population's knowledge about the disease was poor. The attitudes and practices of the participants indicated that their risk of infection was low. Knowledge of landscape epidemiology of the disease was poor but knowledge about AE disease management was good. The attitudes of residents toward disease treatment and control strategies were positive, although the overall knowledge of participants about prevention of infection was poor.ConclusionKnowledge of AE is poor among the residents of Hunza, Pakistan. Our study demands continued and strengthened awareness of the changes to lifestyle and practices associated with AE, not only in the study locality but throughout other areas of Pakistan. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:33:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-060b5edea5874f2b9bffa272203717aa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:33:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-060b5edea5874f2b9bffa272203717aa2022-12-22T04:18:25ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652022-11-011010.3389/fpubh.2022.10154751015475Assessment of risk, landscape epidemiology and management strategies to combat alveolar echinococcosis in the rural communities of Hunza, PakistanNaila Jamill0Haroon Ahmed1Muhammad Sohail Afzal2Sami Simsek3Abid Ali4Muhammad Arshad5Chenghang Yu6Chenghang Yu7Chenghang Yu8Jianping Cao9Jianping Cao10Jianping Cao11Jianping Cao12Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, PakistanDepartment of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, PakistanDepartment of Life Sciences, School of Science, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, PakistanDepartment of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, TurkeyDepartment of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, PakistanDepartment of Life Sciences, School of Science, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, PakistanNational Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), Shanghai, ChinaKey Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Shanghai, ChinaWHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, ChinaNational Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), Shanghai, ChinaKey Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Shanghai, ChinaWHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, ChinaThe School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaBackgroundHuman alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a neglected zoonotic disease. Prevalence of AE in humans is reported in Pakistan as a result of poor economic and sanitary conditions, close proximity to wildlife and limited knowledge of AE. Studies on the prevalence and transmission of AE have been limited, especially for rural Pakistan. The study objectives were to identify knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to AE, to determine awareness of the disease, and to identify knowledge about possible risk factors of infections involving the landscape epidemiological attributes of rural villages in Hunza, one of the districts of Gilgit-Baltistan, a region of Pakistan that borders China.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among the general population of Hunza to establish the level of awareness, knowledge, attitudes, practices, landscape epidemiology, and disease management and control relating to AE in rural areas of Hunza. Data were collected by questionnaire.ResultsA total of 387 questionnaires was received. Statistical analysis showed that the population's knowledge about the disease was poor. The attitudes and practices of the participants indicated that their risk of infection was low. Knowledge of landscape epidemiology of the disease was poor but knowledge about AE disease management was good. The attitudes of residents toward disease treatment and control strategies were positive, although the overall knowledge of participants about prevention of infection was poor.ConclusionKnowledge of AE is poor among the residents of Hunza, Pakistan. Our study demands continued and strengthened awareness of the changes to lifestyle and practices associated with AE, not only in the study locality but throughout other areas of Pakistan.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1015475/fullalveolar echinococcosisawarenessrisk factorsdisease managementHunzaPakistan |
| spellingShingle | Naila Jamill Haroon Ahmed Muhammad Sohail Afzal Sami Simsek Abid Ali Muhammad Arshad Chenghang Yu Chenghang Yu Chenghang Yu Jianping Cao Jianping Cao Jianping Cao Jianping Cao Assessment of risk, landscape epidemiology and management strategies to combat alveolar echinococcosis in the rural communities of Hunza, Pakistan Frontiers in Public Health alveolar echinococcosis awareness risk factors disease management Hunza Pakistan |
| title | Assessment of risk, landscape epidemiology and management strategies to combat alveolar echinococcosis in the rural communities of Hunza, Pakistan |
| title_full | Assessment of risk, landscape epidemiology and management strategies to combat alveolar echinococcosis in the rural communities of Hunza, Pakistan |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of risk, landscape epidemiology and management strategies to combat alveolar echinococcosis in the rural communities of Hunza, Pakistan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of risk, landscape epidemiology and management strategies to combat alveolar echinococcosis in the rural communities of Hunza, Pakistan |
| title_short | Assessment of risk, landscape epidemiology and management strategies to combat alveolar echinococcosis in the rural communities of Hunza, Pakistan |
| title_sort | assessment of risk landscape epidemiology and management strategies to combat alveolar echinococcosis in the rural communities of hunza pakistan |
| topic | alveolar echinococcosis awareness risk factors disease management Hunza Pakistan |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1015475/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nailajamill assessmentofrisklandscapeepidemiologyandmanagementstrategiestocombatalveolarechinococcosisintheruralcommunitiesofhunzapakistan AT haroonahmed assessmentofrisklandscapeepidemiologyandmanagementstrategiestocombatalveolarechinococcosisintheruralcommunitiesofhunzapakistan AT muhammadsohailafzal assessmentofrisklandscapeepidemiologyandmanagementstrategiestocombatalveolarechinococcosisintheruralcommunitiesofhunzapakistan AT samisimsek assessmentofrisklandscapeepidemiologyandmanagementstrategiestocombatalveolarechinococcosisintheruralcommunitiesofhunzapakistan AT abidali assessmentofrisklandscapeepidemiologyandmanagementstrategiestocombatalveolarechinococcosisintheruralcommunitiesofhunzapakistan AT muhammadarshad assessmentofrisklandscapeepidemiologyandmanagementstrategiestocombatalveolarechinococcosisintheruralcommunitiesofhunzapakistan AT chenghangyu assessmentofrisklandscapeepidemiologyandmanagementstrategiestocombatalveolarechinococcosisintheruralcommunitiesofhunzapakistan AT chenghangyu assessmentofrisklandscapeepidemiologyandmanagementstrategiestocombatalveolarechinococcosisintheruralcommunitiesofhunzapakistan AT chenghangyu assessmentofrisklandscapeepidemiologyandmanagementstrategiestocombatalveolarechinococcosisintheruralcommunitiesofhunzapakistan AT jianpingcao assessmentofrisklandscapeepidemiologyandmanagementstrategiestocombatalveolarechinococcosisintheruralcommunitiesofhunzapakistan AT jianpingcao assessmentofrisklandscapeepidemiologyandmanagementstrategiestocombatalveolarechinococcosisintheruralcommunitiesofhunzapakistan AT jianpingcao assessmentofrisklandscapeepidemiologyandmanagementstrategiestocombatalveolarechinococcosisintheruralcommunitiesofhunzapakistan AT jianpingcao assessmentofrisklandscapeepidemiologyandmanagementstrategiestocombatalveolarechinococcosisintheruralcommunitiesofhunzapakistan |