Livestock owners' anthrax prevention practices and its associated factors in Sekota Zuria district, Northeast Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: In Ethiopia, the second most prioritized of the zoonotic diseases next to rabies is anthrax. About 50.6% of anthrax cases and 33.3% of deaths of livestock have been reported from Wag-Himra Zone, where appropriate anthrax prevention practices are not implemented by the owners of the animals. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the extent of appropriate anthrax prevention practices of livestock owners and associated factors in Sekota Zuria district, northwest Ethiopia. RESULTS: Twenty-five percent (95% CI: 25.2, 26.1%) of the livestock owners implemented appropriate anthrax prevention. Three quarters (74%) of the owners consumed infected meat; more than three quarters (78%) used the skins and hides of animals found dead with anthrax. The odds of appropriate anthrax prevention practices were higher among livestock owners with positive attitude (AOR = 4.16, 95% CI: 2.72, 6.37), who received health education (AOR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.21, 3.28) and owners who lived in urban areas (AOR = 2.62, 95% CI: 1.43, 4.77) compared to their counterparts. Ability to read and write (AOR = 2.76, 95% CI: 1.74, 4.37), and primary (AOR = 3.6, 95% CI: 1.74, 4.37) or secondary school and above education (AOR = 4.24, 95% CI: 1.61, 11.13) were significantly associated with appropriate anthrax prevention practices. CONCLUSION: In Sekota Zuria district, only one quarter of the livestock owners were aware of appropriate anthrax prevention practices. Thus, implementing effective health education and creating positive attitude are vital to improve anthrax prevention practices in the area.

Mange mites of sheep and goats in selected sites of Eastern Amhara region, Ethiopia.

A cross sectional study of small ruminant mange mites was conducted from November 2011 to April 2012 on a total of 324 sheep and 680 goats, to determine the prevalence of mange mites in sheep and goats, identifying the major species of mite and to determine the potential risk factors significantly predicting the disease. The result showed an overall mange mite prevalence of 7.5 % (95 % CI 5.5-9.5) in goats and 1.2 % (95 % CI 0.5-1.9) in sheep. The mites identified were Sarcoptes and Demodex in goats and Sarcoptes and Psoroptes in sheep. The prevalence of mange mites was significantly higher in goats than in sheep (χ(2) = 16.636, P = 0.000). There was higher prevalence of mange mites in poor body condition than good body condition sheep and goats and the difference was statistically significant (χ(2) = 5.513, P = 0.019 in sheep and χ(2) = 141.85, P = 0.000 in goats). But age and sex of the host animals and agro climates were not statistically significant predictors of prevalence of mange mite. This study demonstrated that mange mites are among the major parasitic health problems of shoats in Eastern Amhara region that require urgent control intervention.