Abstract

BURGOS MACIAS, Daniel Isaías et al. Level of knowledge of bovine leptospirosis in Manabí province, Ecuador. Rev Salud Anim. [online]. 2019, vol.41, n.2, e07.  Epub Aug 01, 2019. ISSN 0253-570X.

The aim of this study was to determine the level of knowledge of leptospirosis among the people linked to the bovine production chain in Manabí province, Ecuador. A cross-sectional study was carried out through an open and voluntary survey applied in 12 cantons of Manabí province. The questionnaire had a total of 30 questions focused on 16 fundamental aspects about the disease. Five points were assigned to the known aspects and zero to those not known by each people surveyed. The association of the level of knowledge regarding sex, education level, age range, population stratum, and canton of origin of the people surveyed was evaluated using a Generalized Linear Model with quasi-Poisson distribution. The 63.02 % of the people surveyed reported that they knew the disease. It was shown that people who did not have studies and those who reached the primary school level had a lower level of knowledge than those who had a secondary level. Women had a lower level of knowledge about leptospirosis than men. Regarding the analysis by population stratum, it was found that people engaged in transport had a lower level of knowledge than farmers. Moreover, veterinarians had a higher level of knowledge than farmers. People from other strata did not show differences in the level of knowledge compared to farmers. No association was found between the level of knowledge regarding the age range or the canton of origin of the people surveyed. Important aspects such as the way in which the agent is transmitted to animals and man, the sources of infection and the control measures of the disease, were deficient. In addition, it is necessary to address this problem from the perspective of “One Health”, with a multidisciplinary and multisectoral approach.

Keywords : Leptospira spp.; level of knowledge; zoonosis; Manabí; Ecuador.

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