Community Perception and Knowledge of Cystic Echinococcosis in the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco
Thys et al. BMC Public Health (2019) 19:118 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-6372-y RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access Community perception and knowledge of cystic echinococcosis in the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco Séverine Thys1,2* , Hamid Sahibi3, Sarah Gabriël4, Tarik Rahali5, Pierre Lefèvre6, Abdelkbir Rhalem3, Tanguy Marcotty7, Marleen Boelaert1 and Pierre Dorny8,2 Abstract Background: Cystic echinococcosis (CE), a neglected zoonosis caused by the larval stage of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus, remains a public health issue in many developing countries that practice extensive sheep breeding. Control of CE is difficult and requires a community-based integrated approach. We assessed the communities’ knowledge and perception of CE, its animal hosts, and its control in a CE endemic area of the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco. Methods: We conducted twenty focus group discussions (FGDs) stratified by gender with villagers, butchers and students in ten Berber villages that were purposefully selected for their CE prevalence. Results: This community considers CE to be a severe and relatively common disease in humans and animals but has a poor understanding of the parasite’s life cycle. Risk behaviour and disabling factors for disease control are mainly related to cultural practices in sheep breeding and home slaughtering, dog keeping, and offal disposal at home, as well as in slaughterhouses. Participants in our focus group discussions were supportive of control measures as management of canine populations, waste disposal, and monitoring of slaughterhouses. Conclusions: The uncontrolled stray dog population and dogs having access to offal (both at village dumps and slaughterhouses) suggest that authorities should be more closely involved in CE control.
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