Departement of Sciences and Pathology of Animal Reproduction, Institution of Agricultural Research and Higher Education, National School of Veterinary Medicine of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia.
Laboratory of Parasitology, Institution of Agricultural Research and Higher Education, National School of Veterinary Medicine of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia.
Vet Med Sci. 2024 Jul;10(4):e1418. doi: 10.1002/vms3.1418.
Abortion in ewes causes high economic losses and represents a threat for human health due to abortive zoonotic pathogens.
The present study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) among sheep owners in the northern Tunisia regarding ewes' abortions.
Between February 2021 and May 2022, a structured questionnaire containing both close and open-ended questions was applied to 120 sheep owners in northern Tunisia. The data collected were analysed by chi-square test using Epi info 6 software.
The majority (75%) of participants reported a history of abortion in their sheep flocks. Sheep owners thought that the most frequent cause of abortion was physical factors, such as trauma, climate and stress (60% ± 5.5%; 48/80), followed by toxicity (15% ± 4%; 12/80), metabolic and nutritional conditions (12.5% ± 3.7%; 10/80), vaccination (5% ± 2.4%; 4/80) and infectious causes (7.5% ± 2.9%; 6/80) (p < 0.001). The majority of animal owners reported that abortions occurred mainly during autumn (39.6% ± 5%; 38/96), followed by summer (27% ± 4.5%; 26/96), winter (23% ± 4.3%; 22/96) and spring (10.4% ± 3.1%; 10/96) (p < 0.001). Approximately, half (45.8% ± 5%; 55/120) of interviewed farmers would not take any action if an abortion occurred. Half of the interviewed farmers (50.5% ± 5.1%; 48/95) did not apply any preventive measures when manipulating aborted ewes, and most of the sheep owners (77.3% ± 3.8%; 92/119) did not know that aborted ewes could transmit zoonotic pathogens.
Our survey concluded that sheep owners in Northern Tunisia had poor knowledge and attitudes as well as applied limited actions concerning several health aspects related to abortion. Education programmes should be established in order to improve Tunisian sheep owners' KAP regarding abortion.
绵羊流产会给农场主带来巨大的经济损失，而且由于流产的动物传染病病原体具有潜在的人畜共患病风险，对人类健康也构成威胁。
本研究旨在评估突尼斯北部绵羊养殖场主对绵羊流产的认知、态度和实践（KAP）。
2021 年 2 月至 2022 年 5 月，对突尼斯北部 120 名绵羊养殖场主进行了一项结构问卷，问卷包含封闭式和开放式问题。收集的数据使用 Epi info 6 软件通过卡方检验进行分析。
大多数（75%）参与者报告说他们的羊群曾发生过流产。绵羊养殖场主认为，流产最常见的原因是物理因素，如创伤、气候和压力（60%±5.5%；48/80），其次是毒性（15%±4%；12/80）、代谢和营养状况（12.5%±3.7%；10/80）、疫苗接种（5%±2.4%；4/80）和感染原因（7.5%±2.9%；6/80）（p<0.001）。大多数动物饲养者报告说，流产主要发生在秋季（39.6%±5%；38/96），其次是夏季（27%±4.5%；26/96）、冬季（23%±4.3%；22/96）和春季（10.4%±3.1%；10/96）（p<0.001）。大约一半（45.8%±5%；55/120）的被调查农民如果发生流产不会采取任何行动。一半的被调查农民（50.5%±5.1%；48/95）在处理流产的母羊时没有采取任何预防措施，而且大多数绵羊养殖场主（77.3%±3.8%；92/119）不知道流产的母羊可能会传播人畜共患病病原体。
我们的调查得出的结论是，突尼斯北部的绵羊养殖场主在与流产相关的几个健康方面知识有限，态度不佳，采取的措施也很有限。应制定教育计划，以提高突尼斯绵羊养殖场主对流产的认知、态度和实践。
