Abstract:
Tuberculosis (TB) is a global health concern of zoonotic importance, and Mycobacterium
bovis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis are the most common causes of TB in animals and
humans, respectively. Integral to TB control strategies are the communities affected by this
epidemic. Tuberculosis awareness by the community is an effective TB control strategy as
education empowers people to make informed choices with regard to mitigating TB risk
factors in their daily lives. We conducted a knowledge, attitude and perceptions survey in
Mnisi pastoral community in South Africa using a semi-structured questionnaire to
evaluate the level of bovine TB (bTB) awareness, and provided informed feedback to the
community on the outcome of the study. Although participants were aware of TB, the
knowledge of the zoonotic potential of bTB and about susceptible hosts was limited. The
study findings showed knowledge gaps regarding common risk factors, including
coughing while herding cattle, unsupervised/uninspected communal slaughter and
improper disposal of infected meat. In contrast, it was noted that the majority of
participants discarded meat with visible lesions and consumed pasteurised milk; thus, the
risk of TB transmission via the ingestion route is low. Tuberculosis knowledge gaps were
evident in the community, and public health and veterinary authorities need to improve
relationships with stakeholders and implement awareness programmes that use a one
health approach.
