Knowledge, attitude and practice assessment of bovine tuberculosis among abattoir personnel in Barishal City of Bangladesh

Mycobacterium bovis, which causes bovine tuberculosis (bTB), is a chronic zoonotic disease that is contagious, notifiable, and causes enormous economic harm as well as a serious threat to public health. This study was carried out from July 2022 to June 2023 among the abattoir workers in Barishal City Corporation area to assess the degree of comprehension, attitudes, and practices concerning bTB prevention and control as well as awareness of public health. A total of 50 abattoir personnel participated in the study. A pre-tested questionnaire was developed for the face-to-face interview of the participants. The impact of education and training on abattoir personnel's knowledge of bTB prevention and control was evaluated using descriptive analysis and a chi-square test in this study. This study demonstrated that abattoir workers who received training on meat handling and processing have a good understanding of disinfection of the meat preparing place [χ² (2, N=291) = 6.688, p<0.05] and equipment [χ² (2, N=50) = 9.813, p<.05] for ensuring food safety and preventing bacterial contamination. The respondents' knowledge of bTB and their level of training were statistically significantly correlated (𝑃 < 0.05). However, the study revealed inadequate knowledge amongst both trained and non-trained abattoir personnel pertaining to issues of public health, bTB transmission, prevention and control. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that the relevant authorities should take necessary steps to ensure regular training and educational programs on meat handling and processing for prevention and control of bTB as well as other zoonotic diseases to protect public health.