Visceral leishmaniasis - what the population from the city of Três Lagoas, MS, Brazil, knows about this disease?

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an important public health problem and the measures to prevent it are not always known by the population. This research evaluated the knowledge that the population of Três Lagoas, MS, Brazil has about this zoonosis. One hundred percent of the interviewed (384) had previous knowledge of the disease, 64.5% knew that a vector transmits it and 65.4% knew that the prevention is achieved by preventing vector’s breeding sites. Maintenance of the backyard clean was informed by 93.5% as a known preventive measure. At least one preventive method was used in the animal by 50.5% of the interviewed ones and statistically significant association between the group of owners whose dogs had never presented canine visceral leishmaniasis and owners that used some preventive method in the animal (p=0.0006) was observed. Knowledge about the disease did not differ between the economically different classes but the adoption of preventive measures in the dogs depends on the economic condition.