Local community awareness and practices on Yersinia pestis plague disease management in Nkayi and Umzingwane districts, south-western Zimbabwe

This study investigated the level of awareness and practices of local communities on Yersinia pestis plague disease in Nkayi and Umzingwane districts, south-western Zimbabwe. The research used a two-way case study where Umzingwane district was used as a quasi-control site and Nkayi district the treatment site. Purposive sampling was used to select four villages, i.e. two from Nkayi district (plague endemic area) and two from Umzingwane district (non-plague area). Data were collected through focus group discussions involving 35 respondents held between August 2017 and April 2018. The study respondents confirmed some awareness of zoonotic diseases albeit limited knowledge on specific rodent-borne diseases. Respondents from areas that had previous plague outbreaks (Nkayi district) were more knowledgeable of the disease compared to those from areas without previous known outbreaks (Umzingwane district). Several practises, e.g. use of traps, keeping domestic cats (Felis catus) and use of rodenticides to control rodents and educating people on plague disease, were highlighted from both study sites as local plague management strategies. Overall, the study results indicate that the awareness and practices employed by local people in the study area are generally influenced by local contextual factors and past experiences.

Automated summary

This study explored the level of awareness and practices regarding Yersinia pestis plague disease in local communities in Nkayi and Umzingwane districts, southwest Zimbabwe. The findings suggest that respondents had some awareness of zoonotic diseases but limited knowledge of specific rodent-borne diseases. Individuals from areas with past plague outbreaks showed greater knowledge of the disease compared to those from non-outbreak areas. The study highlights the influence of local context and previous experiences on the awareness and practices of the local population in managing plague disease.