Dog ecology and rabies knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) in the Northern Communal Areas of Namibia.
In 2021, a comprehensive dog demographic questionnaire combined with a KAP survey were conducted in the northern communal areas (NCAs) of Namibia with the aim of gaining a better understanding of dog populations, owner behaviour, and knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) relating to rabies. The s...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2024-02-01
|
| Series: | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| Online Access: | https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0011631&type=printable |
| _version_ | 1797296176417996800 |
|---|---|
| author | Tenzin Tenzin Emmanuel H Hikufe Nehemia Hedimbi Rauna Athingo Mainelo Beatrice Shikongo Thompson Shuro Johannes Iipinge Nelson Herman Matias Naunyango Frenada Haufiku Josephat Peter Laina Hango Sara Gottlieb Kenneth Shoombe Nicolai Denzin Frank Busch Frederic Lohr Moetapele Letshwenyo Gregorio Torres Conrad M Freuling Thomas Müller Albertina Shilongo |
| author_facet | Tenzin Tenzin Emmanuel H Hikufe Nehemia Hedimbi Rauna Athingo Mainelo Beatrice Shikongo Thompson Shuro Johannes Iipinge Nelson Herman Matias Naunyango Frenada Haufiku Josephat Peter Laina Hango Sara Gottlieb Kenneth Shoombe Nicolai Denzin Frank Busch Frederic Lohr Moetapele Letshwenyo Gregorio Torres Conrad M Freuling Thomas Müller Albertina Shilongo |
| author_sort | Tenzin Tenzin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In 2021, a comprehensive dog demographic questionnaire combined with a KAP survey were conducted in the northern communal areas (NCAs) of Namibia with the aim of gaining a better understanding of dog populations, owner behaviour, and knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) relating to rabies. The survey of 3,726 households across the eight regions of the NCAs provided insights that will inform interventions in order to improve human rabies prevention and Namibia's dog rabies control strategy. The results showed a relatively low average human/dog ratio (HDR) of 5.4:1 indicating a surprisingly high dog population of at least 272,000 dogs in the NCAs, 93% of which appear to be owned but are free-roaming. Data analysis revealed opportunities but also highlighted needs for improvements in rabies surveillance and mass dog vaccinations. Although knowledge, attitude, and practice scores towards epidemiologic and clinical aspects, human rabies prevention, and dog rabies vaccination were deemed to be acceptable, the survey nevertheless revealed deficiencies in certain aspects in some of the population. Interestingly, data seemed to indicate relatively high dog bite incidences per 100,000 people, ranging between 262 and 1,369 and a certain number of unreported human rabies cases. Despite the very high number of dogs, only 50% of dog-owning households reported having vaccinated their dogs. In order to address these issues, the planning, announcement, and implementation of mass dog vaccination campaigns needs to be adapted to achieve adequate vaccination coverage. Another focus needs to be on rabies awareness and education if Namibia is to be significantly contributing to the global goal of "Zero by 30". |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T21:59:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f203c06790de46539f7aa52fae48fac1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1935-2727 1935-2735 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T21:59:36Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-f203c06790de46539f7aa52fae48fac12024-02-24T05:32:09ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352024-02-01182e001163110.1371/journal.pntd.0011631Dog ecology and rabies knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) in the Northern Communal Areas of Namibia.Tenzin TenzinEmmanuel H HikufeNehemia HedimbiRauna AthingoMainelo Beatrice ShikongoThompson ShuroJohannes IipingeNelson HermanMatias NaunyangoFrenada HaufikuJosephat PeterLaina HangoSara GottliebKenneth ShoombeNicolai DenzinFrank BuschFrederic LohrMoetapele LetshwenyoGregorio TorresConrad M FreulingThomas MüllerAlbertina ShilongoIn 2021, a comprehensive dog demographic questionnaire combined with a KAP survey were conducted in the northern communal areas (NCAs) of Namibia with the aim of gaining a better understanding of dog populations, owner behaviour, and knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) relating to rabies. The survey of 3,726 households across the eight regions of the NCAs provided insights that will inform interventions in order to improve human rabies prevention and Namibia's dog rabies control strategy. The results showed a relatively low average human/dog ratio (HDR) of 5.4:1 indicating a surprisingly high dog population of at least 272,000 dogs in the NCAs, 93% of which appear to be owned but are free-roaming. Data analysis revealed opportunities but also highlighted needs for improvements in rabies surveillance and mass dog vaccinations. Although knowledge, attitude, and practice scores towards epidemiologic and clinical aspects, human rabies prevention, and dog rabies vaccination were deemed to be acceptable, the survey nevertheless revealed deficiencies in certain aspects in some of the population. Interestingly, data seemed to indicate relatively high dog bite incidences per 100,000 people, ranging between 262 and 1,369 and a certain number of unreported human rabies cases. Despite the very high number of dogs, only 50% of dog-owning households reported having vaccinated their dogs. In order to address these issues, the planning, announcement, and implementation of mass dog vaccination campaigns needs to be adapted to achieve adequate vaccination coverage. Another focus needs to be on rabies awareness and education if Namibia is to be significantly contributing to the global goal of "Zero by 30".https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0011631&type=printable |
| spellingShingle | Tenzin Tenzin Emmanuel H Hikufe Nehemia Hedimbi Rauna Athingo Mainelo Beatrice Shikongo Thompson Shuro Johannes Iipinge Nelson Herman Matias Naunyango Frenada Haufiku Josephat Peter Laina Hango Sara Gottlieb Kenneth Shoombe Nicolai Denzin Frank Busch Frederic Lohr Moetapele Letshwenyo Gregorio Torres Conrad M Freuling Thomas Müller Albertina Shilongo Dog ecology and rabies knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) in the Northern Communal Areas of Namibia. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| title | Dog ecology and rabies knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) in the Northern Communal Areas of Namibia. |
| title_full | Dog ecology and rabies knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) in the Northern Communal Areas of Namibia. |
| title_fullStr | Dog ecology and rabies knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) in the Northern Communal Areas of Namibia. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dog ecology and rabies knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) in the Northern Communal Areas of Namibia. |
| title_short | Dog ecology and rabies knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) in the Northern Communal Areas of Namibia. |
| title_sort | dog ecology and rabies knowledge attitude and practice kap in the northern communal areas of namibia |
| url | https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0011631&type=printable |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tenzintenzin dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT emmanuelhhikufe dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT nehemiahedimbi dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT raunaathingo dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT mainelobeatriceshikongo dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT thompsonshuro dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT johannesiipinge dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT nelsonherman dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT matiasnaunyango dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT frenadahaufiku dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT josephatpeter dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT lainahango dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT saragottlieb dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT kennethshoombe dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT nicolaidenzin dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT frankbusch dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT fredericlohr dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT moetapeleletshwenyo dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT gregoriotorres dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT conradmfreuling dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT thomasmuller dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia AT albertinashilongo dogecologyandrabiesknowledgeattitudeandpracticekapinthenortherncommunalareasofnamibia |