SQUIRRELS AND TRANSMISSION OF LEPTOSPIROSIS: AWARENESS AND PERCEPTION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN MAIN CAMPUS RESIDENTS, NIGERIA

The co-existence or interaction of squirrels with humans and domestic animals within the urban environment could serve as an interface for the disease transmission like leptospirosis. The study examined the level of awareness and perception of the University of Ibadan campus residents on squirrels as it relates to human transmission of leptospirosis. Data were collected through the administration of 102 copies of semi-structured questionnaire to residents of the University of Ibadan living quarters using simple random sampling technique. Data obtained were subjected to descriptive and correlation analysis. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20 with statistical significance set at α005. The socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents showed that majority were males (56.9%), singles (61.4%) had HND/B.Sc as highest educational qualification (44.0%) and had resided within the study area for less than 10 years (64.5%). Most respondents (64.7%) felt safe seeing squirrels around them while a good number of them (37.3%) did know if squirrels carry organisms that cause leptospirosis. Majority of the respondents (58.8%) did not know if leptospirosis is a common zoonotic disease while 51.0% did not know some of the symptoms of leptospirosis. There was a positive correlation (r=0.012) between educational status and perception of leptospirosis. There is need for proper education as regards squirrels being potential carriers of leptospira bacteria and this should be done in such a way that residents do not attack or aim at eradicating squirrels in the study area.

[1]  S. Albini,et al.  Insight into the Epidemiology of Leptospirosis: A Review of Leptospira Isolations from “Unconventional” Hosts , 2021, Animals : an open access journal from MDPI.

[2]  Zahiruddin Wm,et al.  Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices and Health Beliefs toward Leptospirosis among Urban and Rural Communities in Northeastern Malaysia , 2018, International journal of environmental research and public health.

[3]  M. Marzano,et al.  Public attitudes towards “pest” management: Perceptions on squirrel management strategies in the UK , 2018 .

[4]  W. Zahiruddin,et al.  Knowledge, attitude and practice about leptospirosis prevention among town service workers in northeastern Malaysia: a cross sectional study. , 2018, Journal of preventive medicine and hygiene.

[5]  Q. Onilude,et al.  Diversity and Growth Characteristics of Tree Species in the Botanical Gardens, University of Ibadan, Nigeria , 2017 .

[6]  A. Jubril,et al.  Knowledge of conservationists on the effect of lead toxicity on the conservation status of African mourning dove (Streptopelia decipiens) in Ibadan, Nigeria , 2017 .

[7]  O. Awoyomi,et al.  Prevalence and renal pathology of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in wildlife in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria , 2017, The Onderstepoort journal of veterinary research.

[8]  Zahiruddin Wm,et al.  The Occupational Hazard Study for Leptospirosis among Agriculture Workers , 2016 .

[9]  B. Mosallanejad,et al.  A serological survey on Leptospiral infection in squirrels and hamsters in Ahvaz district, SouthWest of Iran , 2016 .

[10]  P. White,et al.  Human–wildlife interactions in urban areas: a review of conflicts, benefits and opportunities , 2015, Wildlife Research.

[11]  S. Cleaveland,et al.  Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) about Rabies Prevention and Control: A Community Survey in Tanzania , 2014, PLoS neglected tropical diseases.

[12]  K. Aryal,et al.  Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Regarding Dengue Fever among the Healthy Population of Highland and Lowland Communities in Central Nepal , 2014, PloS one.

[13]  E. Ahmed,et al.  A study on knowledge, attitude and practice of rabies among residents in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. , 2014 .

[14]  B. Brihuega,et al.  First isolation of Leptospira interrogans from the arboreal squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus introduced in Argentina , 2013 .

[15]  Y. Samarakoon,et al.  Knowledge and self-reported practices regarding leptospirosis among adolescent school children in a highly endemic rural area in Sri Lanka. , 2013, Rural and remote health.

[16]  K. Vercauteren,et al.  Leptospirosis in Fox Squirrels (Sciurus niger) of Larimer County, Colorado, USA , 2013, Journal of wildlife diseases.

[17]  J. Dutkiewicz,et al.  Leptospirosis--current risk factors connected with human activity and the environment. , 2013, Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM.

[18]  R. B. Reis,et al.  Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to Leptospirosis among urban slum residents in Brazil. , 2013, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.

[19]  L. Reperant,et al.  The Importance of Understanding the Human–Animal Interface , 2012, Current topics in microbiology and immunology.

[20]  T. Mcmichael,et al.  Synanthropy of Wild Mammals as a Determinant of Emerging Infectious Diseases in the Asian–Australasian Region , 2012, EcoHealth.

[21]  P. Brown,et al.  Environmental risk factors associated with leptospirosis among butchers and their associates in Jamaica. , 2011, The international journal of occupational and environmental medicine.

[22]  R. Klopfleisch,et al.  Pulmonary abnormalities in dogs with leptospirosis. , 2010, Journal of veterinary internal medicine.

[23]  P. Patel,et al.  Educational interventions to increase knowledge of leptospirosis in Navsari district. , 2010 .

[24]  M. Sadkowska-Todys,et al.  Resurgence of field fever in a temperate country: an epidemic of leptospirosis among seasonal strawberry harvesters in Germany in 2007. , 2009, Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

[25]  Romy R. Ravines,et al.  Impact of Environment and Social Gradient on Leptospira Infection in Urban Slums , 2008, PLoS neglected tropical diseases.

[26]  Kate E. Jones,et al.  Global trends in emerging infectious diseases , 2008, Nature.

[27]  F A Leighton,et al.  The role of wildlife in emerging and re-emerging zoonoses. , 2004, Revue scientifique et technique.

[28]  M. Willig,et al.  Leptospirosis: a zoonotic disease of global importance. , 2003, The Lancet. Infectious diseases.

[29]  Dazhao Shi,et al.  Mice, rats, and people: the bio‐economics of agricultural rodent pests , 2003 .

[30]  S. Rushton,et al.  Evaluation of Immunocontraception as a Publicly Acceptable Form of Vertebrate Pest Species Control: The Introduced Grey Squirrel in Britain as an Example , 2002, Environmental management.

[31]  M. Stanhope,et al.  Rodent phylogeny and a timescale for the evolution of Glires: evidence from an extensive taxon sampling using three nuclear genes. , 2002, Molecular biology and evolution.