Elucidating the perception, awareness and biosecurity practices among the live poultry and poultry-meat sellers to mitigate the risk of zoonotic salmonellosis

Zoonotic salmonellosis remains a major public health concern, especially in low-resource settings. Biosecurity measure of live poultry and poultry-meat vending shop is necessary to address zoonoses. This study investigated the knowledge, attitudes, and biosecurity practices of poultry and poultry-meat sellers toward the risk of zoonotic salmonellosis in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 432 poultry and poultry-meat sellers using a structured questionnaire. A multistage sampling approach was utilized to select participants. Majority of the participants were male (75.5%), age between 26-34 years (31.9%), had primary education (28.9%), experience of ≤5 years in poultry and poultry-meat selling (40.3%), and monthly income was <20000 Bangladesh Taka (BDT) (∼US$163.40) (43.3%). Additionally, minimal sellers had training on live poultry marketing (33.1%), and poultry-meat processing along with marketing (28.5%). Poultry and poultry-meat sellers of 33.34% and 62.03% had the good knowledge and positive attitudes respectively. While 41.43% were involved in appropriate biosecurity practice. Moreover, the mean knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 53.12±0.89%, 68.59±0.79%, and 54.58±0.73%, respectively. Multivariate analyses, higher education was a strong predictor of good knowledge (Bachelor's degree: OR=6.64, 95%CI:2.59-17.04, p<0.01), positive attitude (Bachelor's degree: OR=13.48, 95%CI:3.72-48.87, p<0.01), and appropriate biosecurity practices (HS: OR=5.52, 95%CI:2.62-11.63, p<0.01). Sellers with good knowledge, positive attitudes, and appropriate biosecurity practices perceived higher zoonotic risk (median=7, p<0.05), with perception co-relation that significantly (p<0.01) influenced by education (r=0.131) and training (r=0.084). However, notable gaps in safe practices highlighting the need for training that enhances risk perception through applied knowledge, promotes awareness by changing attitudes, and hands-on biosecurity skills.