Arjun Chapagain

Knowledge, Attitude, Epidemiological Risk Factors and Prevention Practices of Japanese Encephalitis in Community Members of Kathmandu and Morang Districts, Nepal

A research was conducted among communities’ members of Kathmandu and Morang districts to study knowledge, attitude, epidemiological risk factors, and prevention practices of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) based on a questionnaire survey. In this study, 100 pig farmers were surveyed from each district to assess the knowledge, attitude, epidemiological risk factors and prevention practices for Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection. In Kathmandu, 42% pig farmers were aware of JE while in Morang only 25% were having knowing of it; the finding was significantly different (P<0.05) concerning district, literacy, and gender of pig farmers. 87% pig farmers of Kathmandu and 13% of Morang were using the vaccine for other diseases in pigs there was no practice of vaccination against JE. Pig farmers were using mosquito bite prevention practices. Despite some differences, pig farmers were found to be exposed to multiple JE risk factors, having a low level of awareness, and not using adequate prevention practices. There was no uptake of JE vaccine among pig farmers of both districts. For prevention and control of JE, there is need of public awareness, vaccination to human and pig against JE, provision of using insecticide treated-mosquito nets, management of pig farms and scientific rice field irrigation management to curve over JE.