Abstract

Aim: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is an important milk-borne zoonosis that affects cattle production and poses serious threat to public health. This study aimed at assessing the risk factors as well as level of awareness, attitude and practices of abattoir personnel towards bTB in Gombe Township Abattoir, Gombe State.
Materials and methods: A prospective survey was conducted between October 2015 and December 2015. During the survey, a total of 112 close-ended structured questionnaires were administered to the abattoir personnel to assess their level of awareness of bTB.
Results: Of these respondents, Majority were males (79%), butchers (49%) and about 40% were under the productive age brackets of 26 - 35 years. Majority of the respondents (85.7%) were aware of the zoonotic nature of the disease. However, only few of the respondents (44.6%) wear personal protective clothes while handling or in contact with carcasses during slaughtering process. Only few among the respondents (24.1% & 31.2%) consumed unpasteurized milk and unaware of eating of improperly cooked-meat as a risk factor of bTB respectively. About 75.7% of the respondents believed that the habit of eating and drinking inside the abattoir and during slaughtering operations has no any significant effects on their health. The results obtained show statistically significant association between respondents’ awareness of bTB and their occupational status, duration of exposure to cattle carcasses and knowledge about the disease (𝑃 < 0.05); and the odds of being aware of bTB were 10.0, 5.07, and 4.2, respectively.
Conclusion: In conclusion, this study demonstrates the need for public health authorities to intervene in bTB prevention and control through creation of avenues for enlightenment on the zoonotic risk associated with bTB. The risk factors associated with bTB transmission as indicated by the personnel’s practice and awareness levels in Gombe township abattoir, are preventable through the use of personal protective clothings (PPEs).

Key words: Abattoir personnel, Bovine Tuberculosis, Gombe, One-health approach, Risk Factors