Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of Livestock Owners toward Anthrax Disease in Gonji Kollela District, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

.Anthrax is the second most highly ranked zoonotic disease in Ethiopia due to its adverse consequences at the household level. It causes disease and production loss in livestock as well as severe disease in humans. So, a cross-sectional study was conducted from July to September 2022 in GonjiKollela district to assess and identify the knowledge, attitude, and practices of livestock owners toward anthrax. Ten kebeles were selected purposively based on accessibility. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the data through face-to-face interviews. A total of 250 respondents participated in the survey study. About 70% of them knew the disease, anthrax, locally called “Quraba“. Whereas the remaining 30% never heard about it. Regarding clinical signs, about 39 (15.6%), 37 (14.8%), and 36 (14.4%) of the respondents mentioned bleeding from natural body orifices, colic, and sudden death as a symptom of anthrax in animals respectively; while 38(15.2%) participants didn’t know the signs of the disease. In humans, vomiting and diarrhea (31.6%), skin ulcer (28.8%), and sweating and increased body temperature (16.4%) were clinical signs of the disease. However, 23.2% of the respondents didn’t recognize the clinical signs. Anthrax is an economically important disease and about 57 (22.8%), 56(22.4%), and 42(16.8%) respondents reported that death, treatment cost, and production loss were the major economic losses caused by anthrax respectively. In the area, burying (31.2%), and burning (30.8%) were the methods practiced to control and prevent anthrax but 19.2% of the respondents didn’t know what to do. And, when their animals died from anthrax, 101(40.4%) buried, 55(22%) burnt, 45(18%) left on the ground, and 21(8.4%) skinned the dead carcass. Consumption of raw meat and contact with dead carcasses were the routes of transmission for anthrax. However, 31.2% of respondents disagree consumption of raw meat as a source of infection for human anthrax. And, about 42% of the respondents reported that anthrax isn’t transmitted from animals to humans. The majority of the respondents (73.6%) didn’t take any protective and control measures when their animals were affected by anthrax. Therefore, continuous awareness creation is required in the society to control and prevent the disease. Proper disposal of carcasses should be practiced. Regular vaccination of farm animals was also recommended.