Graduate School, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Elephant Kingdom Project, Zoological Park Organization of Thailand, Surin, Thailand.
PLoS One. 2024 Nov 12;19(11):e0295869. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295869. eCollection 2024.
Surin, situated in the northeastern region of Thailand, has earned the reputation of being an "elephant village" due to its high captive elephant population and unique tradition of elephant rearing. However, the continuous occurrence of elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) infection poses a significant threat to elephants, particularly the young ones. This study investigated various aspects of EEHV-related elephant care among ninety-two mahouts at the Surin Elephant Kingdom Project. This study used semi-structured interviews and observations to assess the mahouts' knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP scores) toward EEHV transmission, prevention, and management. The result revealed knowledge and practice scores below expectations, indicating an insufficient understanding the nature of disease and preventive measures. However, the mahouts exhibited awareness of the severity of the disease and factors contributing to transmission risk. Regarding the relationship among KAP scores, a positive correlation was observed at a low level (p < 0.05) between the knowledge and practice scores. Interestingly, approximately 55% of the survey respondents were confident that their elephants would not receive EEHV, leading to inadequate prevention measures. From the result, it is crucial to provide comprehensive knowledge about the nature of the disease and preventive measures to all mahouts. This education should emphasize the importance of early monitoring signs, appropriate weaning age, and preventing viral transmission practices. The KAP survey offers valuable insights that can identify areas requiring improvement and guide the development of effective and targeted disease prevention programs within the specific population. Therefore, it is recommended that the KAP survey should be employed in other parts of the country where the elephant management system differs.
素林位于泰国东北部，由于其拥有大量圈养大象和独特的养象传统，享有“大象村”的美誉。然而，不断发生的大象内皮细胞疱疹病毒（EEHV）感染对大象构成了重大威胁，尤其是幼象。本研究调查了 92 名驯象师在素林大象王国项目中与 EEHV 相关的大象护理的各个方面。本研究使用半结构化访谈和观察来评估驯象师对 EEHV 传播、预防和管理的知识、态度和实践（KAP 评分）。结果显示，知识和实践得分低于预期，表明对疾病性质和预防措施的理解不足。然而，驯象师意识到了疾病的严重性以及导致传播风险的因素。关于 KAP 评分之间的关系，知识和实践评分之间呈低度正相关（p<0.05）。有趣的是，大约 55%的调查受访者有信心他们的大象不会感染 EEHV，导致预防措施不足。结果表明，向所有驯象师提供有关疾病性质和预防措施的全面知识至关重要。这种教育应强调早期监测迹象、适当的断奶年龄以及预防病毒传播措施的重要性。KAP 调查提供了有价值的见解，可以确定需要改进的领域，并指导针对特定人群制定有效的、有针对性的疾病预防计划。因此，建议在大象管理系统不同的该国其他地区采用 KAP 调查。
