{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,9]],"date-time":"2026-10-09T06:10:21Z","timestamp":1791526221197,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,2]],"date-time":"2025-07-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1751414400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100006492","name":"Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["U01AI151799"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["U01AI151799"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100006492","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Rift Valley Fever (RVF) has caused several outbreaks across Africa, impacting human health and animal trade. Recent reports indicate sporadic detections of RVF virus among humans and animals in East Africa during inter-epidemic periods. We assessed RVF knowledge levels in East and Central Africa across countries with different epidemiological profiles.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Materials and Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Individuals aged \u226510 years with acute febrile illness were enrolled from six health facilities in Kenya, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Sociodemographic information was collected, and participants were asked questions regarding their knowledge of RVF transmission, symptoms, prevention, and control. Blood samples were tested for anti-RVF antibodies (IgG and IgM). Knowledge was categorized as absent, basic, or advanced. Descriptive and ordinal logistic regression analysis identified factors associated with RVF knowledge.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Among 4,806 participants (median age 31, IQR 22\u201344, 57.5% female), only 20.5% had knowledge of RVF (16.4% basic, 4.1% advanced). Knowledge levels varied by country: DRC (3.1%), Uganda (16.1%), and Kenya (42.6%). RVF seropositivity was 10.4% in Uganda, with much lower rates in Kenya (2.0%) and DRC (1.5%). Factors associated with RVF knowledge included age 21\u201340 years (aOR 2.03; 95%CI 1,55\u20132.67) and &gt;40 years (aOR 2.51; 95%CI 1.88\u20133.37), male gender (aOR 1.44; 95%CI 1.20\u20131.73), profession as a healthcare worker (aOR 5.63; 95%CI 3.48\u20139.12), residence in Kenya (aOR 26.8; 95%CI 15.8\u201348.4) or Uganda (aOR 5.43;95%CI 3.19\u20139.79), completing primary education (aOR 3.89; 95%CI 2.18\u20137.52) with advanced (postgraduate) education shown to increase knowledge, (aOR 22.8; 95%CI 4.95\u201318.6). Other factors included presence of livestock within the homes (aOR 1.26; 95%CI 1.01\u20131.57) and use of methods to prevent mosquito bites (aOR 1.62; 95%CI 1.32\u20131.98). Animal farmers, butchers, and those with close animal contact showed no association, despite being at-risk populations.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Overall RVF knowledge was low across the study sites, with the highest levels observed in Kenya, moderate levels in Uganda despite greater exposure, and markedly low levels in the DRC. Targeted risk communication is urgently needed for high-risk populations in all regions particularly in Uganda, where elevated exposure contrasts with limited knowledge. Increased awareness is crucial for high-exposure groups in all regions, particularly in Uganda where exposure is higher, but knowledge remains relatively low.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0327398","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,2]],"date-time":"2025-07-02T13:51:21Z","timestamp":1751464281000},"page":"e0327398","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Have you heard of Rift Valley fever? Findings from a multi-country study in East and Central Africa"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-4298-2638","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Raymond","family":"Odinoh","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9405-148X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Jeanette","family":"Dawa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9257-4647","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Silvia","family":"Situma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2944-9157","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Luke","family":"Nyakarahuka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7965-8168","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Luciana","family":"Lepore","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6531-0793","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Veerle","family":"Vanlerberghe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Carolyne","family":"Nasimiyu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sheila","family":"Makiala","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christian","family":"Ifufa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Daniel","family":"Mukadi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Herve","family":"Viala","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nicholas","family":"Owor","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Barnabas","family":"Bakamutumaho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Deo","family":"Ndumu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Justin","family":"Masumu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Robert F.","family":"Breiman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kariuki","family":"Njenga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,2]]},"reference":[{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0327398.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.1051\/vetres\/2010033","article-title":"Rift Valley fever virus(Bunyaviridae: Phlebovirus): an update on pathogenesis, molecular epidemiology, vectors, diagnostics and prevention","volume":"41","author":"M Pepin","year":"2010","journal-title":"Vet Res"},{"key":"pone.0327398.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.2010.09-0288","article-title":"An investigation of a major outbreak of Rift Valley fever in Kenya: 2006-2007","volume":"83","author":"PM Nguku","year":"2010","journal-title":"Am J Trop Med Hyg"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0327398.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"315","DOI":"10.1016\/j.coviro.2012.02.017","article-title":"Breaking the chain: Rift Valley fever virus control via livestock vaccination","volume":"2","author":"BH Bird","year":"2012","journal-title":"Curr Opin Virol"},{"key":"pone.0327398.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"14","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.2010.09-0293","article-title":"Risk factors for severe Rift Valley fever infection in Kenya, 2007","volume":"83","author":"AS Anyangu","year":"2010","journal-title":"Am J Trop Med Hyg"},{"key":"pone.0327398.ref005","first-page":"28024","article-title":"A systematic review of Rift Valley fever epidemiology 1931-2014","volume":"5","author":"MO Nanyingi","year":"2015","journal-title":"Infect Ecol Epidemiol"},{"key":"pone.0327398.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijid.2018.11.029","article-title":"Ten outbreaks of rift valley fever in Uganda 2016-2018: epidemiological and laboratory findings","volume":"79","author":"L Nyakarahuka","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int J Infectious Diseases"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0327398.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"995","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.22-0410","article-title":"Detection of sporadic outbreaks of Rift Valley Fever in Uganda through the National Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Surveillance System, 2017\u20132020","volume":"108","author":"L Nyakarahuka","year":"2023","journal-title":"Am JTrop Med Hyg"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0327398.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4102\/ojvr.v86i1.1737","article-title":"Rift Valley fever virus in small ruminants in the Democratic Republic of the Congo","volume":"86","author":"GM Tshilenge","year":"2019","journal-title":"Onderstepoort J Vet Res"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0327398.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"537","DOI":"10.1007\/s11250-018-1721-5","article-title":"Seroprevalence of Rift Valley fever virus in cattle in the Democratic Republic of the Congo","volume":"51","author":"GM Tshilenge","year":"2019","journal-title":"Trop Anim Health Prod"},{"key":"pone.0327398.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"32","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijid.2017.01.016","article-title":"Mosquito-borne viruses circulating in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo","volume":"57","author":"KM Mbanzulu","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int J Infect Dis"},{"key":"pone.0327398.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"52","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.2010.09-0291","article-title":"An assessment of the regional and national socio-economic impacts of the 2007 Rift Valley fever outbreak in Kenya","volume":"83","author":"KM Rich","year":"2010","journal-title":"Am J Trop Med Hyg"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0327398.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.22582\/am.v11i1.31","article-title":"How much can a KAP survey tell us about people\u2019s knowledge, attitudes and practices? Some observations from medical anthropology research on malaria in pregnancy in Malawi","volume":"11","author":"A Launiala","year":"2009","journal-title":"Anthropology Matters"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0327398.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pgph.0002195","article-title":"Understanding knowledge, attitude and perception of Rift Valley fever in Baringo South, Kenya: A cross-sectional study","volume":"3","author":"T Chiuya","year":"2023","journal-title":"PLOS Glob Public Health"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0327398.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjgh-2023-014737","article-title":"Widening geographic range of Rift Valley fever disease clusters associated with climate change in East Africa","volume":"9","author":"S Situma","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMJ Glob Health"},{"issue":"23","key":"pone.0327398.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"639","DOI":"10.15585\/mmwr.mm7223a6","article-title":"Notes from the field: Rift Valley fever outbreak - Mbarara district, Western Uganda, january-march 2023","volume":"72","author":"Z Kabami","year":"2023","journal-title":"MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0327398.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2453","DOI":"10.3201\/eid2610.191837","article-title":"Silent circulation of Rift Valley Fever in Humans, Botswana, 2013-2014","volume":"26","author":"CE Sanderson","year":"2020","journal-title":"Emerg Infect Dis"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0327398.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0006412","article-title":"Prevalence and risk factors of Rift Valley fever in humans and animals from Kabale district in Southwestern Uganda, 2016","volume":"12","author":"L Nyakarahuka","year":"2018","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"key":"pone.0327398.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103208","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbi.2019.103208","article-title":"The REDCap consortium: Building an international community of software platform partners","volume":"95","author":"PA Harris","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Biomed Info"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0327398.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1927","DOI":"10.3390\/v16121927","article-title":"Serological evidence of cryptic rift valley fever virus transmission among humans and livestock in Central Highlands of Kenya","volume":"16","author":"S Situma","year":"2024","journal-title":"Viruses"},{"key":"pone.0327398.ref020","volume-title":"R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing","author":"R Core Team","year":"2021"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0327398.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"167","DOI":"10.3390\/tropicalmed7080167","article-title":"Assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards rift valley fever among livestock farmers in selected Districts of Malawi","volume":"7","author":"H Kainga","year":"2022","journal-title":"Trop Med Infect Dis"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0327398.ref022","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0006175","article-title":"Rift Valley Fever: A survey of knowledge, attitudes, and practice of slaughterhouse workers and community members in Kabale District, Uganda","volume":"12","author":"A de St Maurice","year":"2018","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0327398.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0005907","article-title":"Knowledge and attitude towards Ebola and Marburg virus diseases in Uganda using quantitative and participatory epidemiology techniques","volume":"11","author":"L Nyakarahuka","year":"2017","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0327398.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0011560","article-title":"Knowledge, attitudes and practices on rift valley fever among pastoral and agropastoral communities of Ngorongoro in the rift valley ecosystem, Tanzania, conducted in 2021\/2022","volume":"17","author":"AR Issae","year":"2023","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0327398.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"626","DOI":"10.9745\/GHSP-D-16-00226","article-title":"Social mobilization and community engagement central to the ebola response in West Africa: lessons for future public health emergencies","volume":"4","author":"AM Gillespie","year":"2016","journal-title":"Glob Health Sci Pract"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0327398.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6","DOI":"10.1177\/00494755211055247","article-title":"The concomitant viral epidemics of Rift Valley fever and COVID-19: A lethal combination for Kenya","volume":"52","author":"FM Asad Khan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Trop Doct"},{"key":"pone.0327398.ref027","unstructured":"M. Komugisha et al., \u201cOutbreak of Rift Valley Fever among herdsmen linked to contact with body fluids of infected animals in Nakaseke District, Central Uganda, June\u2013July, 2023,\u201d 2023."},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0327398.ref028","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"66","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rse.2006.07.012","article-title":"Classification of ponds from high-spatial resolution remote sensing: application to Rift Valley Fever epidemics in Senegal","volume":"106","author":"JP Lacaux","year":"2007","journal-title":"Remote Sens Environ"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0327398.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0005405","article-title":"Ethnic groups\u2019 knowledge, attitude and practices and Rift Valley fever exposure in Isiolo County of Kenya","volume":"11","author":"H Affognon","year":"2017","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0327398.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"590","DOI":"10.2105\/AJPH.2009.185652","article-title":"A framework for public health action: the health impact pyramid","volume":"100","author":"TR Frieden","year":"2010","journal-title":"Am J Public Health"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0327398","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,2]],"date-time":"2025-07-02T13:51:33Z","timestamp":1751464293000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0327398"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Timothy","family":"Omara","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,2]]},"references-count":30,"journal-issue":{"issue":"7","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,2]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0327398","relation":{"has-preprint":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.1101\/2024.12.02.24318288","asserted-by":"object"}]},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,2]]}}}