Abstract

Background: Zika virus (ZIKV), a flavivirus transmitted by Aedes species mosquitoes, was first identified in the Zika Forest in Uganda in 1947. There is a Saudi concern about Zika, and the Saudi health authority is trying to do their best to prevent any outbreak considering that people’ precautions that are taken based always on their knowledge toward infectious diseases. Aim: To assess the level of knowledge and attitudes towards Zika virus (ZIKV) and its prevention among Health Colleges’ students at Qassim University (QU), Saudi Arabia. In addition, to identify factors associated with level of knowledge regarding ZIKV. Methods: A stratified random sample of 343 students (male and female) participated in a cross-sectional study. The questionnaire consisted of 46 questions assessing the knowledge, attitudes, and prevention practices regarding ZIKV. Results: Mean age of participants was 22 years old (SD ± 1.6) and the internet was the commonest source of information. Overall, most participants had poor knowledge regarding ZIKV (n = 274, 79.9%) and positive attitude (n= 294, 85.7%) regarding learning more about ZIKV. In terms of prevention practices, more than half of participants (n=191, 54.7%) confirmed using mosquito nets to prevent mosquito bites. Statistically significant differences were detected between participants’ level of knowledge and their age (p < 0.037), colleges (p < 0.039), academic level (p < 0.001), and residence area (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Findings revealed the lacuna of knowledge of participants regarding ZIKV. This finding arises the need for implementing ZIKA Virus health education program for university students.

Keywords: Zika virus · viral infections · knowledge · attitudes · prevention

References

  1. 1.Beckham JD, Pastula DM, Massey A, Tyler KL. Zika Virus as an Emerging Global Pathogen Neurological Complications of Zika Virus. JAMA Neurol2016; 73:875– 879.doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2016.0800. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2016.0800
  2. 2.Dye C, Bartolomeos K, Moorthy V, Kieny P. Data sharing in public health emergencies: A call to researchers. Bulletin of World Health Organizaton 2016; 94(3):158.
  3. 3.Joint MOH-NEA Media statement on Zika. Singapore: National Environment Agency; 2016 Available at http://www. nea.gov.sg/corporate-functions/newsroom/news-releases/category/zika/jointmoh-nea-media-statement-on-zika, Accessed on 11 March 2018.
  4. 4.World Health Organization. Zika Situation Report: WHO 2017. Available at: http:// www.whoint/mediacentre/factsheets/ fs117/en. Accessed on July 12, 2017.
  5. 5.Musso D, Gubler DJ. Zika Virus. ClinMicrobiol Rev 2016; (3):487-524.
  6. 6.Boeuf P, Drummer HE, Richards JS, Scoullar MJ, Beeson JG. The global threat of Zika virus to pregnancy: Epidemiology, clinical perspectives, mechanisms, and impact. BMC Med 2016; 14:112-113.
  7. 7.Brown C. Zika virus outbreaks in Asia and South America. CMAJ 2016; 188:E34. 4. Honein MA. Zika virus. N Engl J Med 2016; 374:1552-1563.
  8. 8.Paixao ES, Barreto F, Teixeira Mda G, Costa Mda C, Rodrigues LC. History, epidemiology, and clinical manifestations of Zika: A systematic review. Am J Public Health 2016; 106:606–612.
  9. 9.Alshammari S, AlamriY, Rabhan F, Alabdullah A, Alsanie N, Almarshad F, Alhaqbani A. Overview of dengue and ZIKV similarity, what can we learn from the Saudi experience with dengue fever? International J Health Sciences2018; 12(1): 77–82.
  10. 10.Plourde AR, Bloch EM. A literature review of Zika virus. Emerg Infect Dis2016; 22:1185-1192.
  11. 11.Harapan H, Aletta, A, Anwar S., Setiawan A, Maulana R, Wahyuniati N. et al. Attitudes towards Zika virus infection among medical doctors in Aceh province, Indonesia. J Infect Public Health 2018;11:99–104.
  12. 12.Niemeyer B, Niemeyer R, Borges R, Marchiori, E. Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis Following Zika Virus Infection. Eur Neurol2017; 77: 45–46. https://doi.org/10.1159/000453396 (2017). doi:10.1159/000453396
  13. 13.Mecharles S,et al. Acute myelitis due to Zika virus infection. Lancet2016; 387: 1481–1481.
  14. 14.Petersen LR, Jamieson DJ, Powers AM, 58 Zika Virus: Knowledge, Attitudes, and its Prevention Approach Among Students of the Health Colleges at Qassim University,KSA Majmaah Journal of Health Sciences ,Vol. 7, Issue 3, September - 2019, Muharram - 1441
  15. 15.Soares, C. N. et al. Fatal encephalitis associated with Zika virus infection in an adult. J ClinVirol2016; 83: 63–65.
  16. 16.Carteaux G. et al. Zika Virus Associated with Meningoencephalitis. N EnglJMed2016; 374: 1595–1596.
  17. 17.World Health Organization. Zika virus infection: Global update on epidemiology and potentially associated clinical manifestations. Releve Epidemiologique Hebdomadaire 2016; 91:73–81.
  18. 18.Singh RK, Dhama K, Malik YS, Ramakrishnan MA, Karthik K, Tiwari R, Saurabh S, Sachan S, Joshi SK. Zika virus: Emergence, evolution, pathology, diagnosis, and control: current global scenario and future perspectives - A comprehensive review. Vet Q 2016; 36:150–75.
  19. 19.Shammas J. World’s First Zika Virus Vaccine Now Ready, Say Scientists in India. 2016. Available at: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/worldnews/worlds/firstzikavirusvaccine.Accessed on February 04 2017.
  20. 20.Mallikaarjun Y. Indian Firm Files Patent for Zika Vaccine Candidates. 2016. Available at: http://www.thehindu.com/ business/bharat-biotech-tostartpreclinicaltrialssoon.on-two-vaccine-candidatesfor-zika-virus/article8188474.ece. Accessed on February 03 2017.
  21. 21.Jaffe S. US responds to increase in Zika cases. Lancet 2016; 387:1801–1802.
  22. 22.Harapan H., Aletta A., Anwar S, Setiawan A, Maulana R, Wahyuniati N, et al. Healthcare workers’ knowledge towards Zika virus infection in Indonesia: A survey in Aceh. Asian Pac J Trop Med 2017; 10: 189–194.
  23. 23.World Health Organization. Knowledge, Attitudes, and practice surveys of ZIKV disease and potential complications. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2016. Available from: http://www. who.int/csr/resources/publications/zika/ kap-surveys/en/. Accessed on 17thMarch 2018.
  24. 24.Plaster AN, Painter JE, Tjersland DH·, Jacobsen KH. University Students’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Sources of Information About Zika Virus. Journal of Community Health 2018; 43:647–655.
  25. 25.Lozano EB. Knowledge, attitudes and practices on dengue and Zika viruses from four institutional divisions of Cebu normal university, Cebu city, Philippines. International Journal of Mosquito Research 2018; 5(4): 33-38.
  26. 26.Ibrahim NK, Al-Bar A, Kordey M, Al-Fakeeh A. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices relating to Dengue fever among females in Jeddah high. Journal of infection and Public Health 2009; 40:30–40.
  27. 27.Al-Tawfiq JA, Memish ZA. Mass gathering medicine: 2014 Hajj and Umra preparation as a leading example. Int J In- Zika Virus: Knowledge, Attitudes, and its Prevention Approach Among Students of the Health Colleges at Qassim University, KSA 59 Majmaah Journal of Health Sciences ,Vol. 7, Issue 3, September - 2019, Muharram - 1441 fect Dis2014; 27: 26-31.
  28. 28.Elachola H, Gozzer E, Zhuo J, Memish ZA. A crucial time for public health preparedness: Zika virus and the 2016 Olympics, Umrah and Hajj. Lancet2016; 387: 630-632.
  29. 29.Alwafi OM, McNabb SJN, Memish ZA, Assiri A, Alzahrani SI, Asiri SI, et al. Dengue Fever in Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2008–2012. Am J Res Comm 2013; 1: 123-139.
  30. 30.Rasooldeen Mohammed. Kingdom alive on Zikavirus threat. Arab News. 2016, available at URLhttp:// w w w. a r a b n e w s . c o m / s a u d i - a r a b i a / news/874211. Accessed on 20 May 2016.
  31. 31.Katler Q, Godiwala P, Macri C, Pineles B, Simon G, Chang A, Ahmadzia H. Evolution of Knowledge, Awareness, and Practices regarding Zika Virus from 2016 to 2017. Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2017; 1-13.
  32. 32.Hasson F, Keeney S, McKenna H. Research guidelines for the Delphi survey technique. J Adv Nurs. 2000; 32(4):100815.
  33. 33.Streiner, D. L. (2003). Being inconsistent about consistency: When coefficient alpha does and doesn’t matter. Journal of Personality Assessment, 80(3), 217-222.
  34. 34.World Health Organization. WHO Director-General summarizes the outcome 60 of the Emergency Committee on Zika. Available at: http://who.int/mediacentre/ news/statements/2016/emergency-committee-zika-microcephaly/en/.2016c. Accessed on 2ndFebruary 2018.
  35. 35.Gupta N, Mehta N, Gupta P, Arora V, Setia P. Knowledge regarding Ebola hemorrhagic fever among private dental practitioners in Tri-city, India: A crosssectional questionnaire study. Niger Med J 2015; 56:138-42.
  36. 36.Gupta N, Randhawa RK, Thakar S, Bansal M, Gupta P.Arora V. Knowledge regarding Zika virus infection among dental practitioners of tri-city area (Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Mohali), India. Niger Postgrad Med J 2016; 23:33-7.
  37. 37.Apichaya S, Chaninat R, Theerin C, Supataradit B, Awapa P, Tongsreeneam N, et al. Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Pandemic H1N1 Influenza Prevention in Thailand. Available from: http:// www.beid.ddc.moph.go.th/th/images/ news/cheraton2122-10-52/poster/R assa meeposter01. Accessed on 20thFebruary 2017.
  38. 38.Ibrahima N, Moshref R, Moshref L, Walid J, Alsatia H. Knowledge and attitudes towards Zika virus among medical students at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Journal of Infection and Public Health2018; 11: 18–23. Zika Virus: Knowledge, Attitudes, and its Prevention Approach Among Students of the Health Colleges at Qassim University,KSA Majmaah Journal of Health Sciences ,Vol. 7, Issue 3, September - 2019, Muharram - 1441
  39. 39.Naing C, Ren WY, Man CY, Fern KP, Qiqi C, Ning CN, et al. Awareness of dengue and practice of dengue control among the semiurban community: A cross-sectional survey. Journal of Community Health 2011; 36:1044-49.
  40. 40.Sabogal-Roman JA, Murillo-Garcia DR, Yepes-Echeverri MC, Restrepo-MejiaJD, Granados-Alvarez S, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, et al. Healthcare students and workers’ knowledge about transmission, epidemiology and symptoms of Zika fever in four cities of Colombia. Travel Med Infect Dis 2016; 14:52–54. Zika Virus: Knowledge, Attitudes, and its Prevention Approach Among Students of the Health Colleges at Qassim University, KSA 61

Peer review

Peer reviewed by 2 reviewers, who chose to remain anonymous.

Majmaah Journal of Health Sciences · eISSN 1658-8223 · Majmaah University · open access