Knowledge of the Population about Visceral Leishmaniasis Transmission in Endemic Areas near the Banks of the Mossoró River in Northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an anthropozoonosis with high prevalence and incidence in the Northeastern region of Brazil. This study aimed to determine whether people living near the Mossoró River in the city of Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte, have knowledge of VL and to characterize the environmental properties of this region. Questionnaires were administered to 478 residents in three neighborhoods near the Mossoró River, addressing the population’s knowledge about VL and environmental characteristics. Most survey participants were female, with ages between 18 and 40 years, 53.8% had completed primary education, and 61.5% owned pet dogs (p < 0.05). The majority (95.9%) showed little knowledge about the characteristics inherent to sandflies, and 85.3% were unaware of the environments preferred by this vector (p < 0.05). Sewage from the homes of respondents was mainly dumped into the river (44.6%), and 76.6% of the respondents complained about the accumulation of garbage in the streets (p < 0.05). The association between education and knowledge about the transmission of VL and preferred vector locations was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The lack of knowledge in the population about VL and the residential environment indicates a risk of maintaining sand fly habitats and hence disease transmission.

Knowledge Attitude and Practice towards Visceral Leishmaniasis among Residents and Health Professionals in Welkait District, Western Tigray, Ethiopia

“…This may be due to the reason that males have more experience of travel to different areas which could possibly meet peoples with different level of VL awareness. Educational status was also find to have a statistical significant association with VL knowledge of the participants which is consistent with that of de Amorim, Amóra [31] finding from Northeastern Brazil, which shows a significant association of educational status with that of participant's knowledge on VL transmission. This could be associated with the individual's access to better information regarding VL from different sources (public and social media,awareness raising activities in schools).…”

Spatiotemporal analysis and environmental risk factors of visceral leishmaniasis in an urban setting in São Paulo State, Brazil

“…In that region, a large number of households were built 26 years ago in a popular government housing project. On the poor periphery of medium- and large-sized cities in developing countries, particularly in Brazil, lack of sanitation, sites of irregular domestic waste disposal, and increased numbers of stray dogs and cats are harmful risk factors for the dispersion of VL [40–43]. In a study carried out in a VL endemic area of Barra de Guaratiba, Rio de Janeiro state, higher rates of infection occurred in places located on the outskirts where some the houses were bordered by forest fragments [44].…”

“…Most of the populations living in endemic areas know that the disease spreads by female sand fly bites. Sand flies are most likely attracted to such sites because of the presence of rodents, dogs, cats and others sources of blood meals [40, 41]. To our knowledge, this is the first description of the association between urban-mapped irregular solid-waste deposits and the spread of VL in Brazil.…”

Risk Profiles for Leishmania infantum Infection in Brazil

“…First, because it is closely linked to disease control, since low educational level undermines the comprehension and application of control measures, such as household spraying with insecticides and bednet use, making individuals more vulnerable to infection. [23][24][25][26] Second, because education is a proxy for many other variables that might increase peridomestic conditions that favor transmission, such as the ownership of animals, poor household conditions, poverty, and lack of urban services. 6,21,23,[27][28][29][30] It should be noted, however, that findings from profiles 6 and 7 reveal that a higher educational level alone was not able to reduce the risk of infection in settings favorable to the maintenance of the transmission cycle.…”