Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Related to Visceral Leishmaniasis and Its Trend in Libo Kem Kem Wereda, Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional and Retrospective Study

Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) affects many people in some parts of Ethiopia, with occasional outbreaks. Community participation and disease trends are of paramount importance in the control of infectious diseases, including VL. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice related to VL in four endemic kebeles (sub-districts) of Libo Kemkem wereda (district), Northwest Ethiopia, and to determine the trend of VL in the same district in the last fourteen years (April 2005- December 2018). In order to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) related to VL, a community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in four endemic kebeles of Libo Kemkem woreda, Northwest Ethiopia. Three hundred ninety-eight (398) study participants (200 males and 198 females) were selected by systematic random sampling and questionnaires were used to collect data. A retrospective study was done to determine the trend of VL in Libo Kemkem woreda in the past fourteen years (April 2005-December 2018) using data collected from patients’ registration book at the Addis zemen hospital and local health centers. The results from the questionnaire survey revealed that 97.7% of the respondents heard about VL before, but only 12.8% and 5.3% knew the etiologic agent and the vector of the disease, respectively. Nearly all respondents (97.2%) believed that health education is necessary to minimize the challenges of the disease. Close to half (44.5%) of the respondents believed that a complete cure of the disease is possible. Approximately 88% of the respondents did not practice anything to protect themselves from the Sand fly bite. The occurrence of VL in Libo Kemkem wereda decreased from 2005 to 2008 and then gradually increased in the next five years (2008 to 2013) and slightly decreased over the last five years (2013-2018). The disease spread to 27 kebeles (subdistricts) in recent years. The overall study revealed that the local societies have a low level of knowledge, attitude, and practice related to VL. VL showed a little decreasing trend over the recent consecutive years. Hence, educating the local community about VL and mobilizing them to take preventive measures is crucial in effective control of VL in the study area.