Nível de conhecimento das famílias e profissionais de saúde a cerca de zoonoses parasitárias em cidade do Sertão Paraibano.

Abstract

Level of knowledge of families and health professionals about parasitic zoonoses in the city of Sertão Paraibano. The number of dogs (Canis familiaris) and cats (Felis catus) has grown a lot and are considered the best pets, however the presence of these domestic animals without proper health care can pose a major risk to human health. Zoonoses, defined as diseases or infections naturally transmissible between animals vertebrates and man. Due to insufficiency and often deficiency of public programs on this topic, it is necessary to data collection for the knowledge of how the population of the city, just as health professionals recognize zoonoses transmitted by dogs and/or cats. The research was carried out in four Basic Units of Family Health with around 40 families and health professionals (nurses, nursing technicians and health agents) of these units through the application of semi-structured questionnaires, in the city of Sertão of Paraíba chosen at equidistant points being central and outskirts of the city. It was concluded that both health professionals and the families interviewed did not know what zoonoses were, nor what diseases were part of this context when using the technical term, and consequently showing the unpreparedness of professionals to guide the users on the subject.