Bangladeshi backyard poultry raisers’ perceptions and practices related to zoonotic transmission of avian influenza

Introduction: Highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) virus (known as "bird flu") is an important public health concern due to its potential to infect humans and cause a human pandemic. Bangladesh is a high-risk country for an influenza pandemic because of its dense human population, wid...

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Main Authors: Rebeca Sultana, Nadia Ali Rimi, Shamim Azad, M. Saiful Islam, M. Salah Uddin Khan, Emily S Gurley, Nazmun Nahar, Stephen P Luby
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 2011-11-01
Series:Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
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Online Access:https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/2242
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author Rebeca Sultana
Nadia Ali Rimi
Shamim Azad
M. Saiful Islam
M. Salah Uddin Khan
Emily S Gurley
Nazmun Nahar
Stephen P Luby
author_facet Rebeca Sultana
Nadia Ali Rimi
Shamim Azad
M. Saiful Islam
M. Salah Uddin Khan
Emily S Gurley
Nazmun Nahar
Stephen P Luby
author_sort Rebeca Sultana
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) virus (known as "bird flu") is an important public health concern due to its potential to infect humans and cause a human pandemic. Bangladesh is a high-risk country for an influenza pandemic because of its dense human population, widespread backyard poultry raising, and endemic H5N1 infection in poultry. Understanding poultry raisers' perceived risks and identifying their risk exposures can help to develop interventions to reduce the risk of avian influenza transmission. This paper explores the perception of Bangladeshi backyard poultry raisers regarding poultry sickness and zoonotic disease transmission and relevant practices. Methodology: We conducted a qualitative study using social mapping (n=2), in-depth interviews (n=40), household mapping (n=40) and observation (n=16), in two backyard poultry-raising communities. Results: The poultry raisers recognized various signs of poultry illness but they did not distinguish among diseases using biomedical classifications. They perceived disease transmission from poultry to poultry, but not from poultry to humans. They usually kept sick poultry under the bed. If the poultry did not recover, they were slaughtered and consumed or sold. The poultry raisers had close contact with sick birds while handling and slaughtering poultry. Conclusions: The poultry raisers are unlikely to follow instructions from health authorities to prevent "bird flu" transmission because many of the instructions ask low-income producers to change their existing practices and require time, money, and financial loss. Villagers are more likely to comply with interventions that help to protect their flocks and address their financial interest.
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institution Kabale University
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publisher The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
record_format Article
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spelling doaj-art-7220631ffcdf4986ab2eff4c6a86c29b2025-08-20T03:48:58ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802011-11-0160210.3855/jidc.2242Bangladeshi backyard poultry raisers’ perceptions and practices related to zoonotic transmission of avian influenzaRebeca Sultana0Nadia Ali Rimi1Shamim Azad2M. Saiful Islam3M. Salah Uddin Khan4Emily S Gurley5Nazmun Nahar6Stephen P Luby7Center for Communicable Diseases, icddr,b, Dhaka, BangladeshCenter for Communicable Diseases, icddr,b, Dhaka, BangladeshCenter for Communicable Diseases, icddr,b, Dhaka, BangladeshCenter for Communicable Diseases, icddr,b, Dhaka, BangladeshCenter for Communicable Diseases, icddr,b, Dhaka, BangladeshCenter for Communicable Diseases, icddr,b, Dhaka, BangladeshCenter for Communicable Diseases, icddr,b, Dhaka, BangladeshCenter for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia, USA Introduction: Highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) virus (known as "bird flu") is an important public health concern due to its potential to infect humans and cause a human pandemic. Bangladesh is a high-risk country for an influenza pandemic because of its dense human population, widespread backyard poultry raising, and endemic H5N1 infection in poultry. Understanding poultry raisers' perceived risks and identifying their risk exposures can help to develop interventions to reduce the risk of avian influenza transmission. This paper explores the perception of Bangladeshi backyard poultry raisers regarding poultry sickness and zoonotic disease transmission and relevant practices. Methodology: We conducted a qualitative study using social mapping (n=2), in-depth interviews (n=40), household mapping (n=40) and observation (n=16), in two backyard poultry-raising communities. Results: The poultry raisers recognized various signs of poultry illness but they did not distinguish among diseases using biomedical classifications. They perceived disease transmission from poultry to poultry, but not from poultry to humans. They usually kept sick poultry under the bed. If the poultry did not recover, they were slaughtered and consumed or sold. The poultry raisers had close contact with sick birds while handling and slaughtering poultry. Conclusions: The poultry raisers are unlikely to follow instructions from health authorities to prevent "bird flu" transmission because many of the instructions ask low-income producers to change their existing practices and require time, money, and financial loss. Villagers are more likely to comply with interventions that help to protect their flocks and address their financial interest. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/2242backyard raiserspoultryqualitative researchavian influenzaperceptionBangladesh
spellingShingle Rebeca Sultana
Nadia Ali Rimi
Shamim Azad
M. Saiful Islam
M. Salah Uddin Khan
Emily S Gurley
Nazmun Nahar
Stephen P Luby
Bangladeshi backyard poultry raisers’ perceptions and practices related to zoonotic transmission of avian influenza
Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
backyard raisers
poultry
qualitative research
avian influenza
perception
Bangladesh
title Bangladeshi backyard poultry raisers’ perceptions and practices related to zoonotic transmission of avian influenza
title_full Bangladeshi backyard poultry raisers’ perceptions and practices related to zoonotic transmission of avian influenza
title_fullStr Bangladeshi backyard poultry raisers’ perceptions and practices related to zoonotic transmission of avian influenza
title_full_unstemmed Bangladeshi backyard poultry raisers’ perceptions and practices related to zoonotic transmission of avian influenza
title_short Bangladeshi backyard poultry raisers’ perceptions and practices related to zoonotic transmission of avian influenza
title_sort bangladeshi backyard poultry raisers perceptions and practices related to zoonotic transmission of avian influenza
topic backyard raisers
poultry
qualitative research
avian influenza
perception
Bangladesh
url https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/2242
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