Abstract

Background:
According to the World Health Organization’s “A roadmap for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030,” controlling Opisthorchis viverrini infection in humans requires interventions targeting animal reservoirs, particularly cats and dogs. Understanding the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of animal owners in endemic areas is essential for designing targeted interventions.

Aim:
This study aimed to assess the KAP of O. viverrini infection and its prevention among cat owners in the endemic area of Thailand.

Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2022 to December 2023, involving 292 cats from 41 villages across seven provinces. Two hundred ninety two fecal sample were collected from the cats of 175 owners, and KAP data were obtained through structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze factors associated with O. viverrini infection and KAP outcomes.

Results:
Opisthorchis viverrini was infected in 21.58% of the cats, with a mean egg count of 70.56 eggs per gram. The findings showed that 28.57% of the participants owned cats infected with O. viverrini. They were female, aged 40–60 years, and worked in the agricultural sector. Most cat owners exhibited moderate to good knowledge, positive attitudes, and poor preventive practices. Knowledge was significantly associated with better practices (p = 0.015). The key risk factors for O. viverrini infection included feeding risky scraps (adjusted OR (aOR) = 2.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.99–4.41) and lack of participation in O. viverrini-related public health campaigns (aOR = 2.45, 95% CI: 1.15–5.22). Furthermore, older age (>60 years) was less knowledgeable (aOR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.10–0.78) but more likely to engage in good practices (aOR = 2.68, 95% CI: 1.02–7.26), whereas those in agriculture showed higher knowledge (aOR = 4.37, 95% CI:1.73–12.14) and better preventive behavior (aOR = 3.19, 95% CI: 1.29–8.60).

Conclusion:
These findings underscore the need for integrated, community-based interventions to enhance knowledge and practices. Strengthening veterinary involvement, improving public health education, and applying the One Health framework are essential for reducing O. viverrini transmission and controlling liver fluke infections in both humans and animals.

Key words: Cat owner; KAP; Liver fluke; Preventive practices; Risk factors.