title: Do open garbage dumps play a role in canine rabies transmission in Biyem-Assi health district in Cameroon?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rabies is a neglected enzootic disease which represents a serious public health problem. In Cameroon, efforts to prevent human deaths caused by rabies are often thwarted by the lack of community awareness. The community knowledge, as well as attitudes and perception on rabies, is therefore important for both prevention of human deaths and control in animals.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was carried out to evaluate the level of community knowledge as well as the role of open garbage dumps (OGDs) in the epidemiology of human rabies. Overall 420 heads of household were interviewed in the Biyem-Assi health district of Yaoundé. OGDs were identified through a systematic check, and household wastes they contained were characterized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although 66.9% of respondents have knowledge on stray dogs, only 35% of respondents knew the role of OGDs in the increase of stray dog population. Overall OGDs consisted of fermentable wastes. Nutrition places for stray dogs were wild garbage dumps (68.1%), markets (18.3%), and houses (13.6%). The feeding behavior of stray dogs correlated significantly with the human rabies transmission (χ (2)=154.12, df=4, p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most participants knew that rabies could be transmitted by a dog bite as well as the measures to be taken in this type of situation. Increased knowledge of respondents on rabies showed OGDs and stray dogs as significant risk factors for canine rabies in Biyem-Assi health district.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Public Health, Yaoundé, Cameroon; National Reference Unit for Vector Control, The Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon; tnraymon@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Tabue N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Raymond
authors.affiliation: School of Health Technicians and Sanitary Engineering of Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Madgan E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Roland
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Public Health, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Kenfack M M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Françoise
authors.affiliation: National Reference Unit for Vector Control, The Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Zeukeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.affiliation: National Reference Unit for Vector Control, The Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Esemu F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Livo
authors.affiliation: National Reference Unit for Vector Control, The Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Seumen T H
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Clovis
keywords: Cameroon; open garbage dumps; rabies; stray dog