Risk perceptions and behaviors of actors in the wild animal value chain in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which contains the greatest area of the second largest rainforest on Earth, people have long been connected to the forest for subsistence and livelihood from wild animals and bushmeat. This qualitative study sought to characterize the bushmeat movement-from hunting wild animals to market sale-and the roles of participants in the animal value chain, as well as their beliefs surrounding zoonotic disease and occupational risk. Actors in in eight bushmeat markets and two ports in Kinshasa, DRC completed semi-structured interviews between 2016 and 2018 in which they expressed belief in transmission of illness from domestic animals to humans, but not from wild animals to humans. Wild animals were viewed as pure and natural, in contrast to domestic animals which were considered tainted by human interference. Participants reported cutting themselves during the process of butchering yet did not consider butchering bushmeat to be a risky activity. Instead, they adopted safety practices learned over time from butchering experts and taught themselves how to butcher in a fashion that reduced the frequency of cutting. In general, butcherers rejected the idea of personal protective equipment use. Port markets were identified as important access points for meat coming from the Congo river and plane transport was identified as important for fresh and live meat coming from Équateur province. Most participants reported having heard about Ebola, but their mistrust in government messaging privileged a word-of-mouth story of witchcraft to be propagated about Ebola's origins. It is critical to better understand how public health messaging about outbreaks can successfully reach high risk communities, and to develop creative risk mitigation strategies for populations in regular contact with animal blood and body fluids. In this paper, we offer suggestions for formal and informal trusted channels through which health messages surrounding zoonotic risk could be conveyed to high-risk populations in Kinshasa.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices regarding Leptospirosis among Visitors to a Recreational Forest in Malaysia.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease and a worldwide public health problem that affects mainly high-risk groups. Characterizing knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) among high-risk groups is important to develop appropriate prevention programs. Here, we performed a cross-sectional study among 300 visitors of a recreational forest in Malaysia to examine leptospirosis KAP and demographics. These variables were integrated to create knowledge and practice scores for each respondent. All respondents had heard about leptospirosis, and 87% of them correctly identified it as a disease. The majority of respondents had high knowledge (63%), positive attitude, and good practice (68%) toward prevention of the disease. However, there were gaps in knowledge, with 78% of the respondents indicating eating without washing hands as the major cause of leptospirosis transmission. Our final model identified that higher knowledge score was associated with higher practice score. Our results indicate that it is important to increase knowledge, especially on transmission routes of leptospirosis, among visitors in recreational areas. Moreover, more attention needs to be paid to promote good practice habits among visitors, targeting those at higher risk of being infected by leptospirosis to prevent potential outbreaks in the recreational areas.

Preventing zoonotic influenza H5N1 in human: Pictorial versus literal health communication methods.

Outbreaks of avian influenza H5N1 in poultry occurred in Africa's poultry and 16 countries have reported human infections globally. Intensified human-animal interactions necessitate correct communication of health messages to reduce zoonotic infection. This work was done to determine differences between pictorial and literal health education communication. Cross-sectional survey using literal and pictorial questionnaires in LBMs and poultry farms was carried out among respondents based on matching criteria. Responses were scored and analysed with probability of independence using Chi square test and pairwise correlation. The degree of knowledge of clinical signs in birds, species affected, communication means and biosecurity were good, that of the post-mortem signs was poor with increasing potentials of human exposure to virus-rich visceral tissues from slaughtered sick birds. Marked differences exist for the various items listed within each knowledge field, the odds of having correct responses from pictorial were better than with literal respondents. Risky practices were still practised in the LBMs despite the good degree of knowledge of hygiene and biosecurity. Knowledge and implementation does not always correlate and pictorial representation out surpasses literal method in communicating potential zoonotic H5N1 influenza A infection to the undiscerning public.

Knowledge, attitude and practice towards anthrax in northern Ethiopia: a mixed approach study.

BACKGROUND: Anthrax is the second most highly prioritized zoonotic disease in Ethiopia due to its negative impact at the household level, causing disease and production losses in livestock and severe disease in humans. This study seeks to assess the knowledge of, attitudes towards, and practices addressing (KAPs) anthrax in the communities of Eastern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted concurrently with focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) between May 2019 and April 2020. A total of 862 respondents participated in the questionnaire survey. Of these, 800 were local community members while 62 were professionals working at health service institutions. In addition, qualitative data were collected using six FGDs and 11 KIIs. RESULTS: Sixty-two percent (496/800) of the community respondents said that they were aware of anthrax while 38% (304/800) of them did not. Only 9.3% (74/800) of the respondents reported that the causative agent of anthrax is germs/microbial. About 56.5% (35/62) of professional respondents said that it is bacterial. More than 60% (64.1%, 513/800) of the respondents did not know that whether the disease was zoonotic or not. Regarding clinical signs, 26.3 (210/800) and 36.8% (294/800) of the respondents could identify at least one in animals and humans, respectively, while 21.3 (170/800) and 20.1% (161/800) knew one or more transmission routes in animals and humans, respectively. Moreover, 43.4% (347/800) and 45.6% (365/800) of the respondents mentioned one or more control/prevention method(s) in animals and humans, respectively. Regarding qualitative results, some of the participants knew the disease (in animals) by their local names: Lalish and Tafia (splenomegaly), and Gulbus (abdominal cramps and shivering). Some reported that anthrax was exclusively a human disease while others recognized its zoonotic potential after the clinical signs in both animals and humans were listed. CONCLUSION: The KAP of the participants regarding anthrax was low. There was no consistent understanding of the disease among the participants. The study also revealed that the participants did not receive consistent, adequate, and continuous education regarding the disease.

Attitudes, practices, and zoonoses awareness of community members involved in the bushmeat trade near Murchison Falls National Park, northern Uganda.

The harvest of bushmeat is widespread in the tropics and sub-tropics. Often in these communities, there is a dependence on bushmeat for both food security and basic income. Despite the importance of bushmeat for households worldwide, the practice raises concern for transmission of zoonotic pathogens through hunting, food preparation, and consumption. In Uganda, harvest of wildlife is illegal, but bushmeat hunting, is commonplace. We interviewed 292 women who cook for their households and 180 self-identified hunters from 21 villages bordering Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda to gain insights into bushmeat preferences, opportunity for zoonotic pathogen transmission, and awareness of common wildlife-associated zoonoses. Both hunters and women who cook considered primates to be the most likely wildlife species to carry diseases humans can catch. Among common zoonotic pathogens, the greatest proportions of women who cook and hunters believed that pathogens causing stomach ache or diarrhea and monkeypox can be transmitted by wildlife. Neither women who cook nor hunters report being frequently injury during cooking, butchering, or hunting, and few report taking precautions while handling bushmeat. The majority of women who cook believe that hunters and dealers never or rarely disguise primate meat as another kind of meat in market, while the majority of hunters report that they usually disguise primate meat as another kind of meat. These data play a crucial role in our understanding of potential for exposure to and infection with zoonotic pathogens in the bushmeat trade. Expanding our knowledge of awareness, perceptions and risks enables us to identify opportunities to mitigate infections and injury risk and promote safe handling practices.

"Prevention is the biggest success": Barriers and enablers to personal biosecurity in the thoroughbred breeding industry.

Employees in the equine industry are at occupational risk of zoonoses such as Hendra virus and equine chlamydiosis through exposure to infected materials. This study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the views and experiences of employees, and the key drivers of infection control and personal biosecurity (PB) practices in the Thoroughbred breeding industry. Methods: An exploratory qualitative study was conducted in 2018 in New South Wales, Australia using interviews (9) and small group discussions (7). The 29 participants included veterinarians, veterinary nurses, foaling staff, stud managers and laboratory personnel working in a range of equine medicine settings. Interviews and focus groups were recorded, transcribed and analysed manually by at least two members of the research team. An iterative approach was used to derive themes. Results: Five main themes emerged: (i) greater awareness of current and emerging infectious risks promotes use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); (ii) currently available PPE is not comfortable, practical or well-suited to equine reproductive work in Australia's hot climate; (iii) creating supportive environments for PB reduces risk of exposure to infectious materials; (iv) strong leadership is required to implement sustainable change in workplace culture and practices; and (v) policy and economic factors play an important role in adopting biosecurity (BS) and PB measures in the workplace. Personnel working in the Australian Thoroughbred breeding industry face unique zoonotic risks in a challenging physical environment. A qualitative approach provided rich insights into social and physical factors motivating BS and PB in this occupational group. There is an opportunity for collaboration between Public Health services and industry partners to develop and implement strategies most likely to be effective in ensuring consistent uptake of PB measures in the workplace.

Understanding attitude, practices and knowledge of zoonotic infectious disease risks among poultry farmers in Ghana.

Zoonotic infectious diseases (ZIDs) are increasing globally, and livestock farmers in low- and middle-income countries are at particularly high risk. An evaluation of farmer's behaviour on farms can be used to identify the risk factors and to develop tailored control strategies. This study documents the knowledge of zoonotic poultry diseases (ZPD) among 152 poultry farm workers (respondents) from 76 farms in the Ashanti region of Ghana and assessed their on-farm attitude and practices that increase their risk to exposure of ZPD. The median age of respondents was 29 years, 91.4% (n = 139) had a formal education, and 80.9% (n = 123) had worked on the farm for more than 1 year. The majority of farms (n = 69, 90.8%) had multiple flocks and 27.6% (n = 21) kept other animals, of which 57.1% (n = 12) were pigs. The majority of respondents had good knowledge about poultry diseases but not about ZPD. A higher level of education and longer work experience improved respondents' knowledge of poultry and ZPD. Although respondents identified the wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE) as a major ZPD preventive measure, the majority did not put that knowledge into practice. Most farms (71.1%, n = 54) had no footbath and 55.3% (n = 42) deposited farm-waste on the farm. While 97.4% (n = 148) of respondents washed their hands after working, only 48.7% (n = 74) wore protective footwear, 2.7% (n = 4) wore overalls, 2% (n = 3) wore nose masks and none (n = 0) wore gloves. The husbandry practices and attitude of farmers expose them to pathogens on the farm and increase their risk of becoming infected with ZPD in the sub-region. The results from this study could be used to promote human health among farm workers in Ghana.

Power, participation and their problems: A consideration of power dynamics in the use of participatory epidemiology for one health and zoonoses research.

The use of Participatory Epidemiology in veterinary research intends to include livestock keepers and other local stakeholders in research processes and the development of solutions to animal health problems, including potentially zoonotic diseases. It can also be an attempt to bring some of the methods and insights of social science into a discipline largely shaped by natural science methods and ways of seeing the world. The introduction of participatory methodologies to veterinary epidemiology and disease surveillance follows a wider movement in development thinking, questioning the top-down nature of much post-second world war development efforts directed from the Global North towards the Global South. In the best cases, participatory methods can help to empower the poor and marginalised to participate in and have some control over research and interventions which affect them. Compiled from experience in multi-disciplinary One Health projects, this paper briefly traces the rise of participatory epidemiology before examining some of the limitations observed in its implementation and steps that might be taken to alleviate the problems observed. The three areas in which the operationalisation of Participatory Epidemiology in veterinary and One Health research could be improved are identified as: broadening the focus of engagement with communities beyond quantitative data extraction; taking note of the wider power structures in which research takes place, and questioning who speaks for a community when participatory methods are used. In particular, the focus falls on how researchers from different disciplines, including veterinary medicine and the social sciences, can work together to ensure that participatory epidemiology is employed in such a way that it improves the quality of life of both people and animals around the world.

Comparative knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding anthrax, brucellosis, and rabies in three districts of northern Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) surveys regarding zoonotic diseases are crucial to understanding the extent of knowledge among citizens and for guiding health-related education programs. METHOD: Employing a structured questionnaire, we interviewed residents (n = 388) in three districts of northern Tanzania (Karatu n = 128, Monduli n = 114, Babati n = 146) to assess knowledge, attitudes and reported practices regarding three zoonotic diseases that occur in the region (anthrax, brucellosis, and rabies). We used generalized linear mixed effects models and multi-model inference to identify demographic correlates of knowledge. RESULTS: Proportional average district- and disease- specific knowledge scores ranged from 0.14-0.61. We found positive correlations between age and knowledge of symptoms, causes and treatments of anthrax (three districts), brucellosis (three districts), and rabies (one district). Gender, ethnic identity, formal education and ownership of livestock or dogs had variable effects on knowledge among the interviewed population. Risk perceptions regarding different diseases varied across districts and were positively correlated with knowledge of the specific diseases. Direct interactions with livestock and domestic dogs were reported to occur across all demographic groups, suggesting that most people living in rural settings of our study area are potentially exposed to zoonotic diseases. Behaviors which may favor transmission of specific pathogens (such as consumption of raw milk or meat) were occasionally reported and varied by district. Wildlife was generally regarded as negative or neutral with regard to overall veterinary and human health. CONCLUSION: The combination of variable knowledge about zoonotic diseases in the three districts, reported occurrence of practices that are conducive to pathogen transmission, and previously documented circulation of pathogens causing anthrax, brucellosis and rabies in our study system, call for health education programs embedded in a holistic One Health approach.

A Comparative Analysis of Risk Perception and Coping Behaviors among Chinese Poultry Farmers Regarding Human and Poultry Infection with Avian Influenza.

Poultry farmers face a dual risk when mutant avian influenza (AI) virus exhibits zoonotic characteristics. A/H5N1 and A/H7N9 are two principal strains of the AI virus that have captured public attention in recent years, as they have both been reported and can infect poultry and humans, respectively. Previous studies have focused either on poultry farmers' risk perception and biosecurity preventive behaviors (BPBs) against A/H5N1 infection with poultry, or on their risk perception and personal protective behaviors (PPBs) against human infection with A/H7N9, even though these two strains often appear simultaneously. To bridge this research gap, a survey (N = 426) was conducted in the Chinese provinces of Jiangsu and Anhui to assess risk perception and coping behaviors adopted by poultry farmers facing the dual risk of these two viral strains. Paired sample t-tests revealed that farmers' perceived risk of poultry infection with A/H5N1 was significantly higher than their perceived risk of human infection with A/H7N9, and that their reported frequency of BPBs against A/H5N1 was significantly higher than the frequency of PPBs against A/H7N9. Moreover, farmers were less familiar with AI infection in human beings compared to that in poultry, but they felt a higher sense of control regarding human AI infection. Multivariate regression analyses showed that farm size and perceived risks of both human and poultry infection with AI were positively associated with BPBs and PPBs. The findings of this research suggest that a campaign to spread knowledge about human AI infection among poultry farmers is needed, and that a policy incentive to encourage large-scale poultry farming could be effective in improving implementation of BPBs and PPBs.

Farmer and veterinarian attitudes towards the risk of zoonotic Mycobacterium bovis infection in Northern Ireland.

Based on a qualitative social science research methodology using semi-structured interviews, this paper examines the attitudes of farmers and veterinarians in Northern Ireland around the risk of acquiring tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis from infected cattle and drinking raw milk. This region has traditionally had one of the highest rates of bovine tuberculosis in the United Kingdom and among the highest in Europe. The research finds that the risk is often downplayed and considered so rare that it is no longer a significant public health risk due to the pasteurisation of milk and intensive surveillance on farms through systematic testing and removal of positive animals, as evidenced by the low recorded human incidence. Although the incidence of tuberculosis in humans caused by M bovis is only around 1% of all annual human tuberculosis cases, this paper argues that M bovis may be underestimated as a human pathogen and makes the case for a renewed perspective. Discourses surrounding the disease may need to be re-orientated to remind relevant stakeholders that human infection with M bovis is a hazard that needs to be treated with more caution on the front line of control.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices relevant to zoonotic disease reporting and infection prevention practices among veterinarians - Arizona, 2015.

Veterinarians play a crucial role in zoonotic disease detection in animals and prevention of disease transmission; reporting these zoonoses to public health officials is an important first step to protect human and animal health. Evidence suggests veterinarians and their staff are at higher risk for exposure to zoonoses because of possible interactions with infected animals. We examined the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of veterinarians regarding zoonotic disease reporting to public health agencies and associated infection prevention (IP) practices such as personal protective equipment (PPE) use, and the need for targeted education and outreach for veterinarians in Arizona. An online questionnaire was developed and distributed by email in September 2015 and was available through November 2015 to all 1,100 members of the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were performed. In total, 298 (27%) veterinarians from all 15 Arizona counties completed the survey; the majority (70%) were female, practiced small animal medicine (84%), and reported practicing veterinary medicine for ≥10 years (75%). Only 57% reported they knew when to report a suspected zoonotic disease and 60% reported they knew how to make that type of report. The majority said they would report rabies (97%), plague (96%), and highly pathogenic avian influenza (91%) to a state agency. Most respondents reported using PPE (e.g., masks, face shields, and gloves) when performing a surgical procedure (96%) or necropsy (94%), although fewer reported using PPE for handling clinically ill animals (37%) or healthy animals (17%). Approximately 70% reported always using PPE when in contact with animal birthing fluids, urine, or feces, and 47% for contact with animal blood, saliva, or other body fluids. Veterinarians who agreed that they knew the appropriate actions to protect themselves from zoonotic disease exposures were more likely to report always washing their hands before eating or drinking at work (OR = 3.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.97-7.35], P < 0.01). Responses for when to make a report and how to report were not significantly different by gender, years of practice, or holding additional degrees, but did differ by practice type, age, and number of veterinarians in the practice. Small animal veterinarians were less likely to report knowing when to make a report compared to other veterinarians (P < 0.01). Respondents demonstrated suboptimal zoonotic disease reporting and IP practices, including PPE use. Public health agencies should improve outreach and education to veterinarians to facilitate better zoonotic disease prevention practices and reporting.

Brucellosis awareness and knowledge in communities worldwide: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 79 observational studies.

BACKGROUND: Brucellosis is regarded as a major zoonotic infection worldwide. Awareness and knowledge of brucellosis among occupational workers is considered an important aspect of brucellosis control in both humans and animals. The aim of this study was to explore the distributions of the pooled awareness level and the knowledge level of the disease worldwide. METHODS: A meta-analysis was carried out to obtain pooled brucellosis awareness levels and knowledge levels of respondents regarding the zoonotic nature of brucellosis, mode of brucellosis transmission, and brucellosis symptoms in animals and humans. The analysis was conducted and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses guidelines. RESULTS: A total of seventy-nine original articles reporting the brucellosis awareness levels of in populations from 22 countries were assessed. The total pooled awareness level of brucellosis was 55.5%, and the pooled awareness levels regarding the zoonotic nature of brucellosis, mode of brucellosis transmission, signs of human brucellosis and signs of animal brucellosis were 37.6%, 35.9%, 41.6%, and 28.4% respectively. The pooled awareness level was higher than the brucellosis-related knowledge level. Subgroup analyses showed that no obvious differences in brucellosis awareness levels between high-risk populations in Asia and Africa. Health workers (including human health workers and veterinarians) had the greatest overall awareness and knowledge of human brucellosis. The overall awareness levels and knowledge levels of livestock owners (farmers) and herders were higher than those of dairy farmers and abattoir workers. In addition, awareness and knowledge levels were higher among people who were involved in bovine, caprine and ovine animal production or in caprine and ovine animal production than among people who were involved in only bovine animal production. CONCLUSIONS: Insufficient awareness and knowledge of brucellosis were observed in the original studies conducted mainly in Asia and Africa. Interventions to improve public knowledge about brucellosis are urgently needed.

Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices and Health Beliefs toward Leptospirosis among Urban and Rural Communities in Northeastern Malaysia.

BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease with a worldwide distribution, especially in developing countries such as Malaysia. This study was designed to explore the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices (KABP) toward leptospirosis among the communities in northeastern Malaysia and to determine the sociodemographic factors associated with the KABP toward leptospirosis. A cross-sectional study using a stratified sampling method was conducted among 214 individuals in four locales in northeastern Malaysia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 214 respondents in northeastern Malaysia using a multi-stage stratified random sampling method. The study population was divided into two groups based on geographical locations: urban and rural. All data were entered and analyzed using the IBM Statistics for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 software for Windows (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA). The continuous variables were presented using mean and standard deviation (SD), whereas the categorical variables were described using frequency and percentage. Multiple logistic regression was performed to determine the associated factors for good KABP toward leptospirosis among the respondents. RESULTS: It was found that 52.8% of respondents had good knowledge, 84.6% had positive attitudes, 59.8% had positive beliefs, and 53.7% had satisfactory practices. There were no significant sociodemographic factors associated with knowledge and practice, except for educational status, which was significant in the attitude and belief domains. Those with higher education exhibited better attitudes (Odds Ratio (OR) 3.329; 95% Coefficient Interval (CI): 1.140, 9.723; p = 0.028) and beliefs (OR 3.748; 95% CI: 1.485, 9.459; p = 0.005). The communities in northeastern Malaysia generally have good knowledge and a high level of positive attitude; however, this attitude cannot be transformed into practice as the number of people with satisfactory practice habits is much lower compared to those with positive attitudes. As for the belief domain, the communities must have positive beliefs to perceive the threat of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: Our current health program on preventing leptospirosis is good in creating awareness and a positive attitude among the communities, but is not sufficient in promoting satisfactory practice habits. In conclusion, more attention needs to be paid to promoting satisfactory practice habits among the communities, as they already possess good knowledge and positive attitudes and beliefs.

Lay perceptions, beliefs and practices linked to the persistence of anthrax outbreaks in cattle in the Western Province of Zambia.

Anthrax, a neglected zoonotic disease that is transmitted by a spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium, Bacillus anthracis, has reached endemic proportions in the Western Province of Zambia. Transmission of anthrax from the environment as well as between cattle has been observed to be partly because of entrenched beliefs, perceptions and traditional practices among cattle farmers in the known outbreak areas. This study was aimed at exploring lay perceptions, beliefs and practices that influence anthrax transmission in cattle of the Western Province. A mixed-methods study was conducted from August to December 2015. Quantitative data were collected using a cross-sectional survey. Qualitative data were generated by interviewing professional staff and community members. Five focus group discussions and five key informant interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis of interview data was performed using NVivo software. The findings suggested that cattle anthrax was biologically as well as culturally maintained. Cattle farmers were reluctant to have their livestock vaccinated against anthrax because of perceived low efficacy of the vaccine. Also, the cattle farmers did not trust professional staff and their technical interventions. Popular cultural practices that involved exchange of animals between herds contributed to uncontrolled cattle movements between herds and subsequent transmission of anthrax. These findings imply the need for professional staff to be culturally competent in handling socio-cultural issues that are known to be barriers for disease control in animals. There is a need to develop a policy framework that will foster integrated control of anthrax across disciplines.

Pets, Purity and Pollution: Why Conventional Models of Disease Transmission Do Not Work for Pet Rat Owners.

In the United Kingdom, following the emergence of Seoul hantavirus in pet rat owners in 2012, public health authorities tried to communicate the risk of this zoonotic disease, but had limited success. To explore this lack of engagement with health advice, we conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with pet rat owners and analysed them using a grounded theory approach. The findings from these interviews suggest that rat owners construct their pets as different from wild rats, and by elevating the rat to the status of a pet, the powerful associations that rats have with dirt and disease are removed. Removing the rat from the contaminated outside world moves their pet rat from being 'out of place' to 'in place'. A concept of 'bounded purity' keeps the rat protected within the home, allowing owners to interact with their pet, safe in the knowledge that it is clean and disease-free. Additionally, owners constructed a 'hierarchy of purity' for their pets, and it is on this structure of disease and risk that owners base their behaviour, not conventional biomedical models of disease.

Australian horse owners and their biosecurity practices in the context of Hendra virus.

In recent years, outbreaks of exotic as well as newly emerging infectious diseases have highlighted the importance of biosecurity for the Australian horse industry. As the first potentially fatal zoonosis transmissible from horses to humans in Australia, Hendra virus has emphasised the need to incorporate sound hygiene and general biosecurity practices into day-to-day horse management. Recommended measures are widely publicised, but implementation is at the discretion of the individual owner. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine current levels of biosecurity of horse owners and to identify factors influencing the uptake of practices utilising data from an online survey. Level of biosecurity (low, medium, high), as determined by horse owners' responses to a set of questions on the frequency of various biosecurity practices performed around healthy (9 items) and sick horses (10 items), was used as a composite outcome variable in ordinal logistic regression analyses. The majority of horse owners surveyed were female (90%), from the states of Queensland (45%) or New South Wales (37%), and were involved in either mainly competitive/equestrian sports (37%) or recreational horse activities (35%). Seventy-five percent of owners indicated that they follow at least one-third of the recommended practices regularly when handling their horses, resulting in medium to high levels of biosecurity. Main factors associated with a higher level of biosecurity were high self-rated standard of biosecurity, access to personal protective equipment, absence of flying foxes in the local area, a good sense of control over Hendra virus risk, likelihood of discussing a sick horse with a veterinarian and likelihood of suspecting Hendra virus in a sick horse. Comparison of the outcome variable with the self-rated standard of biosecurity showed that over- as well as underestimation occurred. This highlights the need for continuous communication and education to enhance awareness and understanding of what biosecurity is and how it aligns with good horsemanship. Overall, strengthened biosecurity practices will help to improve animal as well as human health and increase preparedness for future disease outbreaks.

Risk for zoonotic Salmonella transmission from pet reptiles: A survey on knowledge, attitudes and practices of reptile-owners related to reptile husbandry.

Reptiles are becoming increasingly popular as pets. Those animals are reservoirs of a wide variety of Salmonella serotypes, that may be transmitted to warm-blooded animals, including humans. Accordingly, good hygiene practices related to husbandry are important for prevention of Reptile-associated salmonellosis (RAS). A cross-sectional study was conducted among reptile owners, by administration of a detailed questionnaire. In addition, the cloacal swabs of the sampled reptiles were screened for Salmonella spp. and the husbandry management practices were evaluated in order to assess any possible link between the presence of Salmonella spp. and the hygiene practices. The response rate to the questionnaire was 66.6% (100 out of 150 contacted owners). In 26 out of 100 families, members at risk of RAS (children and elderly) were present. One hundred animals were screened for the presence of Salmonella spp. The prevalence of Salmonella spp. carriers was 57% (Confidence interval 47-66%). Co-habitation of the animals with other reptiles in the same terrarium was associated with a 2-fold increase in the risk of infection by Salmonella spp.(Odds ratio=2.3, CI 1.2;13, p=0.02). Animals handled by owners that did not report washing their hands after the cleaning procedures or the handling were exposed to a 3-fold increase in the risk of infection (OR=3.1, CI 1.1;16, p=0.019). When drinking water was not replaced regularly, the animals were 7 times more exposed to infection (OR=6.8, CI 1.8;25, p=0.005). When the diet was constituted by rodents, 27 out of 48 reptiles (56.3%) were fed with live animals. In the present survey the typical reptile owner was a person, aware of ethological aspects of reptile husbandry but ignorant of some ethical recommendations and poorly informed about the health risks for himself and for the other family members. Prevention of RAS must rely mainly on information and education, with the veterinarian health bodies primarily involved in this difficult task.

An assessment of Irish farmers' knowledge of the risk of spread of infection from animals to humans and their transmission prevention practices.

The aim of this study was to ascertain farmers' knowledge of the risk of spread of infection from animals to humans, and their transmission prevention practices. This was a survey of farmers who submitted material to Ireland's Regional Veterinary Laboratories in 2015. There was an 84% response rate (1044 farmers). Ninety per cent of farmers were not aware that infection can be acquired from apparently healthy animals. Over half were not aware that disease could be contracted from sick poultry or pets. Conversely, the knowledge of the risk to pregnant women of infection from birthing animals was high (88%). Four-fifths of farmers sourced drinking water from a private well, and of these, 62% tested their water less frequently than once a year. Of dairy farmers, 39% drank unpasteurised milk once a week or more frequently. Veterinarians were the most commonly cited information source for diseases on farms. The survey findings indicate that the level of farmers' knowledge and awareness of the spread of infection from animals to humans is a concern. Further education of the farming community is needed to increase awareness of both the potential biohazards present on farms and the practical measures that can be taken to mitigate the risk of zoonoses.

Views from many worlds: unsettling categories in interdisciplinary research on endemic zoonotic diseases.

Interdisciplinary research on zoonotic disease has tended to focus on 'risk' of disease transmission as a conceptual common denominator. With reference to endemic zoonoses at the livestock-human interface, we argue for considering a broader sweep of disciplinary insights from anthropology and other social sciences in interdisciplinary dialogue, in particular cross-cultural perspectives on human-animal engagement. We consider diverse worldviews where human-animal encounters are perceived of in terms of the kinds of social relations they generate, and the notion of culture is extended to the 'natural' world. This has implications for how animals are valued, treated and prioritized. Thinking differently with and about animals and about species' boundaries could enable ways of addressing zoonotic diseases which have closer integration with people's own cultural norms. If we can bring this kind of knowledge into One Health debates, we find ourselves with a multiplicity of worldviews, where bounded categories such as human:animal and nature:culture cannot be assumed. This might in turn influence our scientific ways of seeing our own disciplinary cultures, and generate novel ways of understanding zoonoses and constructing solutions.This article is part of the themed issue 'One Health for a changing world: zoonoses, ecosystems and human well-being'.