Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Butchers Regarding Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever in an Endemic Area of Iran

Background: In endemic countries, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is an important zoonotic disease with significant public health implications. Previous studies in Iran suggests that CCHF poses a significant health risk to slaughterhouse workers and butchers. The main objecive of this study was to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practice of butchers regarding CCHF at their workplace in an endemic area in southeastern Iran. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2022 in Zarand city. In total, 60 butchers were included in the city. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 22. Results: The average scores of participants' knowledge, attitude and practice were 2.58±1.47, 25.38±3.15 and 21.78±4.07, respectively, indicating most butchers had good knowledge and a positive attitude and practice regarding safety measures for CCHF. One-way ANOVA showed no significant difference between participants’ knowledge, attitude, and practice in relation to the studied variables. The Pearson correlations revealed significant positive correlations between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.345), between knowledge and practice (r = 0.295), and between practice and attitude (r = 0.361) concerning CCHF disease. Conclusions: The results of the current study can help prevent occupational health risks related to work-acquired CCHF among butchers. We recommend conducting more comprehensive studies to evaluate other high-risk occupations for CCHF in Iran.