Knowledge, Attitude and Practice on Rabies and its Management among Health Professionals in Greater Cairo, Egypt

Background: Rabies, a fatal zoonotic disease caused by a neurotropic virus, affects the central nervous system of mammals, including humans. Healthcare professionals (HCP) are vital in its prevention and control. Studies on their knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) reveal significant gaps in rabies awareness. Therefore, our study aims to assess the understanding of HCP to develop targeted training programs for improved rabies management. Methods: An analytic cross-sectional study was conducted electronically and at Kasr-Alainy Hospital’s outpatient clinics to evaluate healthcare professionals’ KAP regarding rabies prevention and control. An anonymous structured questionnaire was used, divided into four sections: socio-demographic data, knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Results: This study involved 185 HCP (63.8% male 36.2% female) with a mean age of 34 ± 6 years. While (64.9 %) of participants recognized rabies as a viral disease and (61.1%) identified bites as a primary transmission route, only (22.7%) recognizing the risks associated with scratches. 69.2% agreed that providing anti-rabies vaccine directly after a bite, up to 5 doses, is necessary. Notably, (63.2%), (53%) and (44.3%) demonstrated a fair level of knowledge, attitude, and practice scores, respectively. Only 75% of males exhibiting good attitude scores compared to 25% of females (P-value= 0.006). Participants with a master's degree demonstrated a higher percentage of good attitude scores (55.6%) compared to those with a diploma (22.2%), (P-value = 0.001). Conclusion: The study underscores the need for targeted educational interventions and standardized rabies management guidelines to address knowledge gaps, improve attitudes, and practices among healthcare professionals in Egypt.