Survey of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Awareness Among Cattle Herders in Kaduna State

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) and related tick-borne flaviviruses are increasingly recognised as causes of viral encephalitis in Africa, yet awareness among at-risk pastoral populations in northern Nigeria is essentially unstudied. This study surveys awareness of tick-borne viral disease among Fulani cattle herders in Kaduna State, North West Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey will recruit 300 herders from three pastoral communities in Kaura, Kachia, and Lere local government areas using snowball sampling. A structured questionnaire administered in Fulfulde with English back-translation will assess recognition of tick infestation, awareness of tick-to-human disease transmission, symptom recognition, tick removal practices, and healthcare-seeking behaviour for febrile illness. Herder demographics, herd composition, grazing route, and tick control practices will also be documented. The near-absence of TBEV serosurvey data from northern Nigeria represents a major gap in zoonotic disease surveillance, and anecdotal clinical reports suggest febrile encephalitis cases in pastoral communities may include tick-borne aetiologies. Findings will provide foundational data on disease awareness among a high-risk occupational group and inform One Health extension services by the Kaduna State Veterinary Services in designing tick-control and health education interventions for pastoralists across the North West zone. Keywords: tick-borne encephalitis, awareness, cattle herders, Kaduna State, zoonotic disease