Knowledge, attitude and practice of farmers to avian influenza resurgence in Ibadan, Nigeria: A case study of the 2015 avian influenza resurgence

Abstract

Highly pathogenic avian influenza of the strain H5N1 has been noted as a deadly virus of poultry with the ability to affect humans. Chickens in Kano and Kaduna States in northern Nigeria were infested with diarrhea and exhibited respiratory distress, and thereafter died within a few days sometime in January 2006. An epidemiological questionnaire-based cross-sectional study design in a major live bird market in Ibadan was used for 206 farmers in order to capture their socio-demographic characteristics and determine the knowledge, attitude and practices (especially bio-security practices) that could predispose their farms to avian influenza outbreak. Attempts were also made to find the determinants of the avian influenza outbreak. This study proved that educated individuals were better informed about best practices and hence compliance with best bio-security practices would be ensured and/or guaranteed. The predictors of high AI knowledge among poultry farmers were age (p = 0.01), education (p = 0.05), occupation (p = 0.03), No of birds present on the farm (p = 0.05), and years of farm establishment (p = 0.05). In this study, farms owned by older people were about 3 times more likely to experience an outbreak because they may not have been aware of latest trends in managing farm bio-security. Those owned by males were about 2.5 times less likely because males have been proven to be quite energetic thereby allowing them to be able to discharge their duties with vigor. Also, farms owned by uneducated people and those without carcass disposal and quarantine facilities were about 5.4, 2.2, and 1.3 times more likely to suffer from an AI outbreak. The total refusal of some farmers to participate was a serious limitation. Farmers in Oyo State have good knowledge about avian influenza.