Assessment of community knowledge, attitude and practices for sustainable control of tsetse and tsetse-borne trypanosomosis in Meatu district, Tanzania

摘要

This paper reports the knowledge, attitude and practices of respondents in selected villages of Meatu district on trypanosomosis collected through a cross-sectional study which involved 306 participants. Tsetse was well known vector of trypanosomosis by about 70 % of participants. Animal African Trypanosomosis (AAT) was known by 90.2 % (259) while Human African Trypanosomosis (HAT) was known by 40.3 % (123). Seventy percent of respondents knew the correct clinical signs of HAT while 68.6 % (177) knew the clinical signs of AAT. The use of trypanocidal drugs was up hazard with only 5.2 % observed recommended veterinary drug use and 46.4 % could not recall how they used drugs in treating AAT. The awareness on HAT trend has shown to be increasing in recent years compared to previous years with school and health centres playing a front role. Since HAT health services are inaccessible and current trypanosomosis control techniques are not sustainable an integrated approach involving community is essential.