Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of cattle farmers regarding ticks, tick-borne diseases, and zoonotic risks in Borno State, Nigeria: A cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Background and Aim: Ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) remain a major constraint to cattle production, responsible for substantial economic losses through reduced productivity, increased treatment costs, and high mortality. Beyond livestock impacts, ticks transmit a range of zoonotic pathogens, posing significant health risks to communities in close contact with cattle. Despite Borno State having the largest cattle population in Nigeria, there is no prior documentation of cattle farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding ticks, TBDs, and their zoonotic implications. This study aimed to assess farmers’ awareness, preventive behaviors, and tick-control strategies, while evaluating the influence of formal and informal education on these variables. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive KAP survey was conducted among 492 cattle farmers across Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Jere Local Government Area between November 2024 and February 2025. Data were collected using a semi-structured and pre-validated questionnaire translated into local languages. Descriptive statistics summarized KAP, while Chi-square tests assessed associations between education and key outcome variables (significance level: p ≤ 0.05). Results: Most farmers (77.2%) reported observing ticks on their cattle, and 82.9% recognized their role in livestock disease transmission. Tick occurrence was highest during the rainy season (83.7%). Although awareness of livestock TBDs was high, more than half (54.4%) were unaware that ticks transmit diseases to humans. A large proportion (59.8%) reported previous tick bites, but only 10.2% sought medical care afterward. Combined control through acaricides and handpicking was the predominant practice (78.9%). Significant differences between formally and informally educated farmers were observed for lesion recognition after tick bites (χ2 = 128.04; p ≤ 0.001), tick-control method (χ2 = 26.30; p ≤ 0.001), frequency of handpicking (χ2 = 44.27; p ≤ 0.001), and acaricide application methods (χ2 = 57.45; p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: Farmers demonstrated good knowledge of ticks and livestock TBDs but exhibited low awareness of zoonotic risks and poor health-seeking behavior following tick bites. Strengthening public health education, promoting protective practices, and integrating zoonotic TBDs into One Health policies are essential to reducing risks among high-exposure populations.