knowledge level of the fifth -year and six - year veterinary students of tehran university on mad cow disease in 1383

ABSTRACT

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy [BSE], commonly known as mad cow disease' [MCD], is a progressive lethal neurological disorder of the cows. The aim of the current study is to assess the knowledge of veterinary students in Tehran University regarding this disease. Eighty seven students were selected from veterinary college in Tehran University and were asked to fill out a self-administeration questionnaire. Seventy eight students [response rate 89%] 39 males and 39 females, ranging 22 to 29 years handed in the questionnaires after completing. Overall the correct answers of the students to the questions ranged from poor [16.7%] to very good [94.9%]. Females answered better to some of the questions than males, and also students in the higher terms answered better to some of the questions than students in the lower terms, but these were not statistically significant. The present study provides an insight into the knowledge of veterinary students in Tehran University towards MCD. A limitation of this study is that our sample is not representative of all veterinary students in Iran. Future surveys should also target veterinary students enrolled in other universities in the country