TY - JOUR

T1 - Poultry slaughtering practices in rural communities of Bangladesh and risk of avian influenza transmission

T2 - a qualitative study

AU - Rimi, Nadia Ali

AU - Sultana, Rebeca

AU - Ishtiak-Ahmed, Kazi

AU - Khan, Salah Uddin

AU - Sharker, M A Yushuf

AU - Uz Zaman, Rashid

AU - Azziz-Baumgartner, Eduardo

AU - Gurley, Emily S

AU - Nahar, Nazmun

AU - Luby, Stephen P

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - Slaughtering sick poultry is a risk factor for human infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza and is a common practice in Bangladesh. This paper describes human exposures to poultry during slaughtering process and the customs and rituals influencing these practices in two Bangladeshi rural communities. In 2009, we conducted 30 observations to observe slaughtering practices and 110 in-depth and short interviews and 36 group discussions to explore reasons behind those practices. The villagers reported slaughtering 103 poultry, including 20 sick poultry during 2 months. During different stages of slaughtering, humans, the environment, healthy poultry, and other animals were exposed to poultry blood and body parts. Women performed most of the slaughtering tasks, including evisceration. Defeathering required the most time and involved several persons. During festivals, ceremonies, and rituals, many people gathered and participated in the slaughtering of poultry. Exposure to poultry slaughtering created numerous opportunities for potential avian influenza transmission. Strategies that can be further tested to determine if they reduce the risk of transmission include skinning the carcasses of sick poultry, using hot water for defeathering and cleaning, using a bucket to contain slaughtering blood and carcass, burying the offal and encouraging handwashing.

AB - Slaughtering sick poultry is a risk factor for human infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza and is a common practice in Bangladesh. This paper describes human exposures to poultry during slaughtering process and the customs and rituals influencing these practices in two Bangladeshi rural communities. In 2009, we conducted 30 observations to observe slaughtering practices and 110 in-depth and short interviews and 36 group discussions to explore reasons behind those practices. The villagers reported slaughtering 103 poultry, including 20 sick poultry during 2 months. During different stages of slaughtering, humans, the environment, healthy poultry, and other animals were exposed to poultry blood and body parts. Women performed most of the slaughtering tasks, including evisceration. Defeathering required the most time and involved several persons. During festivals, ceremonies, and rituals, many people gathered and participated in the slaughtering of poultry. Exposure to poultry slaughtering created numerous opportunities for potential avian influenza transmission. Strategies that can be further tested to determine if they reduce the risk of transmission include skinning the carcasses of sick poultry, using hot water for defeathering and cleaning, using a bucket to contain slaughtering blood and carcass, burying the offal and encouraging handwashing.

KW - Abattoirs

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Aged

KW - Aged, 80 and over

KW - Animal Husbandry

KW - Animals

KW - Bangladesh

KW - Birds

KW - Disease Transmission, Infectious

KW - Female

KW - Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice

KW - Humans

KW - Influenza in Birds

KW - Influenza, Human

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Risk Factors

KW - Rural Population

KW - Young Adult

U2 - 10.1007/s10393-013-0885-8

DO - 10.1007/s10393-013-0885-8

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 24306550

VL - 11

SP - 83

EP - 93

JO - EcoHealth

JF - EcoHealth

SN - 1612-9202

IS - 1

ER -