Abstract:
Rabies is one of the oldest and most feared human diseases, recognized since ancient times. It
is a fatal viral zoonosis that leads to encephalitis in all warm-blooded animals and humans but
can be prevented through vaccination and community awareness. The aim was to assess the
community's knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding rabies, alongside a
retrospective Investigation of the disease A cross-sectional questionnaire survey and
retrospective studies were conducted from February to June 2024, in the Boloso Sore district
of the Wolaita Zone in Southern Ethiopia. A Simple random sampling procedure was
employed 384 participants were recruited., and data was collected through face-to-face
interviews, while five years of retrospective data were extracted from case books of
individuals visiting Dubo St. Mary Hospital and Areka Health Center. The results indicated
that [78.39%] of participants had some knowledge about rabies, with more than half
demonstrating a good understanding of KAP related to the disease. Despite this, gaps in
knowledge were evident, particularly concerning clinical signs of rabies, modes of
transmission
