Knowledge and Practices Regarding Toxoplasmosis Among Pharmacy Students at the University of Benghazi
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29284/mdwstr19Keywords:
Toxoplasmosis; Toxoplasma gondii; pharmacy students; knowledge; congenital infection; University of Benghazi.Abstract
Background: Toxoplasmosis is a widespread zoonotic infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii, with major consequences in pregnancy and immunocompromised patients. Pharmacy students are key future health professionals who may advise patients on the prevention, screening, and treatment of toxoplasmosis; their base knowledge and practice need to be understood for curricular planning. This study aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of toxoplasmosis among pharmacy students of Benghazi University.
Methods: The study involved a cross-sectional survey among pharmacy students using a structured questionnaire. Inclusion: undergraduate students in their studies at the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Benghazi and persons aged ≥18 years who could read English, provided informed consent to participate in the study. Exclusion: persons not enrolled in the pharmacy program at the University of Benghazi, below the age of 18 years, incomplete questionnaires (missing > 20% of core items), duplicate responses. We summarized the data using descriptive statistics and prepared tables for key variables.
Results: Of 190 respondents, 76 (40.0%) had heard of toxoplasmosis. Among those, 34 (44.7%) correctly identified Toxoplasma gondii as the causative agent. Self-reported detailed knowledge (severity/risk factors) was reported by 48 (25.3%). Recognition of key transmission routes was limited, with many respondents emphasizing direct cat contact. Diagnostic knowledge (IgG/IgM serology) was reported by 29 (15.3%) and only 10 (5.3%) indicated knowledge of appropriate treatment. Cat ownership was reported by 44 (23.2%) respondents; among owners, 33 (75.0%) reported performing medical examinations on their cats.
Conclusion: Pharmacy students had incomplete and uneven knowledge of toxoplasmosis, particularly relating to the transmission routes, diagnostic serology, and treatment. Targeted educational interventions using the pharmacy curriculum and campus-wide awareness activities are suggested to enhance knowledge and patient counseling capacity. This would encourage verification of raw data and reanalysis of statistical associations for analytic robustness.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
