Factors associated with acquisition of enteric episodes in cattle waste handlers in Morogoro, Tanzania.

Abstract

The study explored risk factors for acquiring enteric disease in animal waste handlers as
occupational hazards. A qualitative survey of 124 of respondents from Morogoro peri-urban and urban areas was done. Eight four respondents had experienced enteric episodes as compared to forty who didn’t mention, and among those who mentioned the episodes, 55.95% had reported this to a health facility while 44.05% had consulted a nearby pharmacy or drug shop. Heaping in living plots was mostly practiced storage method within living plots (70.97 %). The percentage of handlers who were aware of risks for acquiring enteric pathogens from cattle after handling their wastes was 43.55%. There was limited awareness of government guideline on handling such wastes (3.23%) and washing hands without soap was found to be the most common health measures taken after handling animal wastes (70.16%). Statistically significant difference was observed in knowledge on occupational hazards (p = 0.001), zoonotic pathogens awareness (p=0.05), experience of participants (p=0.05) and protective gears (p = 0.022). The animal wastes handlers could be constantly exposed to risks associated with enteropathogens due to the lack of training on proper measures to handle animal wastes as occupational hazard, government interventions of formulating laws and by-laws which are user friendly. This could protect the attendants themselves against the zoonotic enteropathogens, the public in general and the environment.

Keywords: Peri-urban; Occupational hazards; Episodes; Urban Livestock