Knowledge and perceptions of Zika virus transmission in the community of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

Zika virus is associated with increased cases of both microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Community knowledge, perceptions and practices to prevent infection with the Zika virus are not well understood, particularly among high risk populations living in resource-poor and Zika-endemic areas. Ou...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	BMC infectious diseases 2019-04, Vol.19 (1), p.339-339, Article 339
Main Authors:	Nelson, Erik J, Luetke, Maya C, Kianersi, Sina, Willis, Erik, Rosenberg, Molly
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Aquatic insects Cholera Demographics Diagnosis Disease control Disease prevention Disease transmission Dominican Republic Education Guillain-Barre syndrome Health Health education Infection Infection control Infections Infectious diseases KAP Knowledge Knowledge attitude and practices Methods Microcephaly Microencephaly Mosquitoes Outreach services Populations Prevention Public health Questionnaires Reproductive health Risk factors Risk perception Rural areas Sexual transmission Signs and symptoms Studies Tourism Vector-borne diseases Viruses West Nile virus Womens health Zika prevention Zika virus
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Summary:	Zika virus is associated with increased cases of both microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Community knowledge, perceptions and practices to prevent infection with the Zika virus are not well understood, particularly among high risk populations living in resource-poor and Zika-endemic areas. Our objective was to assess knowledge of symptoms, health effects and prevention practices associated with Zika virus in rural communities on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic. Study participants were contacted while attending community events such as free medical clinics and invited to be interviewed regarding their knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of Zika virus using the World Health Organization's Zika survey tool. Of the 75 Dominicans that participated, 33% did not know who could become infected with Zika. In addition, only 40% of respondents were able to identify mosquitoes or sexual transmission as the primary routes of infection though 51% of respondents thought that Zika was an important issue in their community. This study found that general knowledge regarding the basic risks and transmission of Zika were not well understood among a sample of rural Dominicans. Our findings highlight disparities in knowledge and perception of risk from Zika in rural areas compared to previous studies conducted in the Dominican Republic. Education about the basic risks and transmission of Zika are critically needed in these remote populations to reduce Zika transmission.
ISSN:	1471-2334 1471-2334