Zoonotic diseases risk perception and infection prevention and control practices among poultry farmers in the Buea Health District, Cameroon: A one health perspective.

Background and Aim: Livestock are associated with pathogenic microbes and farm workers play a significant role in the transmission of zoonotic diseases (ZDs). Lack of awareness of exposure risk among farmers may influence their farm practices, thereby enhancing the spread of diseases on farms and to the community. This study was aimed at evaluating the knowledge, risk perception, and prevention and control practices of ZDs among poultry farmers to provide baseline data for establishing a "One Health" practical approach to reducing ZD transmission in poultry farms. Materials and Methods: Using the exponential discriminative snowball technique, a community-based cross-sectional study involving poultry farmers was carried out in the Buea Health District from April to July 2021. Six feed-producing mills were used as focal points to identify and recruit farmers who were also referred to other farmers. Questionnaires were used to collect data related to participants' knowledge, risk perception, and prevention and control practices of ZDs. Descriptive analyses were performed for all variables while the chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used to determine associations at 95% confidence level. Results: In all, 183 poultry farms and 207 workers were enrolled in the study. Despite being aware that animal diseases can be transmitted to humans, most participants showed poor knowledge (54.6%), low-risk perception (51.7%), and poor prevention/control practices (54.1%) on ZDs. The majority did not consider coming in contact with birds' body fluid (blood) or apparently healthy birds to be a risk of infection. More participants with small farms (<500 birds) had low-risk perception of ZDs than those with larger farms (>1000 birds) (p = 0.03). Furthermore, most participants reported practicing hand washing but they neither used protective devices such as gloves and face masks, and >50% would not invite veterinary professionals to their farms. There was a significant association between risk perception and knowledge (p = 0.007; CI = 1.257-4.200) as well as between risk perception and prevention/control practice (p = 0.002; CI = 1.451-4.867). Conclusion: Poultry farm workers in Buea had poor knowledge and perception of ZD risk and this might have contributed to their poor prevention/control practices on the farms. Enhanced informal education of poultry farmers through training workshops and seminars will improve their knowledge and skills on ZD transmission risk and prevention.