Difficulties in estimating the human burden of canine rabies

Emerging infectious disease (EID) events have the potential to cause devastating impacts on human, animal and environmental health. A range of tools exist which can be applied to address EID event detection, preparedness and response. Here we use a case study of rabies in Southeast Asia and Oceania to illustrate, via nearly a decade of research activities, how such tools can be systematically integrated into a framework for EID preparedness. During the past three decades, canine rabies has spread to previously free areas of Southeast Asia, threatening the rabies-free status of countries such as Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea and Australia. The program of research to address rabies preparedness in the Oceanic region has included scanning and surveillance to define the emerging nature of canine rabies within the Southeast Asia region; field studies to collect information on potential reservoir species, their distribution and behaviour; participatory and sociological studies to identify priorities for disease response; and targeted risk assessment and disease modelling studies. Lessons learnt include the need to develop methods to collect data in remote regions, and the need to continuously evaluate and update requirements for preparedness in response to evolving drivers of emerging infectious disease.

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A cross sectional study to assess the knowledge and response to dog bite among the urban and rural population of Hubballi taluk

International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health ◽

10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20190062 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 539

Author(s):

Maneesha Godbole ◽

Anjana Ramachandra Joshi ◽

Dattatraya D. Bant

Keyword(s):

Management Practices ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Wound Management ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Post Exposure Prophylaxis ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Dog Bite ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Canine Rabies ◽

Rabies Prevention

Background: Rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease of the central nervous system, most commonly caused by the bite of rabid dogs. Globally canine rabies causes 59,000 human deaths, over 3.7 million DALYs and 8.6 billion USD economic losses annually. These losses are due to a lack of knowledge about wound management and post-exposure prophylaxis. The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge and practices following dog bite and its management among the urban and rural population.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the field practice area of KIMS, Hubli. 120 households of the urban and rural locality were interviewed with a semi-structured pretested questionnaire.Results: Overall 89.16% of the study population was aware that the disease can be prevented by vaccination. 35% of the rural and 28% of the urban population believed that the disease can spread from person to person. The knowledge about the site and the number of doses of vaccine was poor among both the population. The harmful practices for treatment of bite were still prevalent among both rural (25%) and urban (8.3%) population.Conclusions: The knowledge about the dog bite management and Rabies prevention is insufficient among both populations. There are myths and misconceptions about the disease and wound management. Practices like application of harmful substances like lime, turmeric, mud are the problems hindering rabies prevention and control. Proper steps need to be taken up to control the canine rabies.

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Estimating the Size of Dog Populations in Tanzania to Inform Rabies Control

10.20944/preprints201807.0090.v1 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Maganga Sambo ◽

Katie Hampson ◽

Joel Changalucha ◽

Sarah Cleaveland ◽

Tiziana Lembo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Household Surveys ◽

Rigorous Evaluation ◽

Post Vaccination ◽

Vaccination Programs ◽

Canine Rabies ◽

School Based ◽

Dog Ownership ◽

Rabies Control ◽

Population Sizes ◽

Modelling Approach

Estimates of dog population sizes are a prerequisite for delivering effective canine rabies control. However, dog population sizes are generally unknown in most rabies-endemic areas. Several approaches have been used to estimate dog populations but without rigorous evaluation. We compare post-vaccination transects, household surveys and school-based surveys to determine which most precisely estimates dog population sizes. These methods were implemented across 28 districts in southeast Tanzania, in conjunction with mass dog vaccinations, covering a range of settings, livelihoods and religious backgrounds. Transects were the most precise method, revealing highly variable patterns of dog ownership, with human: dog ratios ranging from 12.4:1 to 181.3:1 across districts. Both household and school-based surveys generated imprecise and sometimes inaccurate estimates, possible due to low sample size. Transect data were subsequently used to develop a predictive model for estimating dog populations in districts lacking transect data. We predicted a dog population of 2,316,000 (95% CI 1,573,000-3,122,000) in Tanzania and an average human: dog ratio of 20.7:1. Our modelling approach has the potential be applied to predicting dog population size in other districts where mass dog vaccination is carried out, given census and livelihood data. We recommend transects as a rapid and effective method to refine dog population estimates across large geographic areas and guide dog vaccination programs.

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Spatial Regression Analysis on Reported Canine Rabies Cases in Davao City, Philippines from 2006 to 2017

Frontiers in Veterinary Science ◽

10.3389/conf.fvets.2019.05.00015 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

Author(s):

Abigail Clemente

Keyword(s):

Regression Analysis ◽

Spatial Regression ◽

Canine Rabies ◽

Spatial Regression Analysis

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Modelling the influence of naturally acquired immunity from subclinical infection on outbreak dynamics and persistence of rabies in domestic dogs

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽

10.1371/journal.pntd.0009581 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (7) ◽

pp. e0009581

Author(s):

Susannah Gold ◽

Christl A. Donnelly ◽

Rosie Woodroffe ◽

Pierre Nouvellet

Keyword(s):

Control Strategies ◽

Empirical Studies ◽

Population Level ◽

Domestic Dogs ◽

Domestic Dog ◽

Acquired Immunity ◽

High Exposure ◽

Common Assumption ◽

Canine Rabies ◽

Low Levels

A number of mathematical models have been developed for canine rabies to explore dynamics and inform control strategies. A common assumption of these models is that naturally acquired immunity plays no role in rabies dynamics. However, empirical studies have detected rabies-specific antibodies in healthy, unvaccinated domestic dogs, potentially due to immunizing, non-lethal exposure. We developed a stochastic model for canine rabies, parameterised for Laikipia County, Kenya, to explore the implications of different scenarios for naturally acquired immunity to rabies in domestic dogs. Simulating these scenarios using a non-spatial model indicated that low levels of immunity can act to limit rabies incidence and prevent depletion of the domestic dog population, increasing the probability of disease persistence. However, incorporating spatial structure and human response to high rabies incidence allowed the virus to persist in the absence of immunity. While low levels of immunity therefore had limited influence under a more realistic approximation of rabies dynamics, high rates of exposure leading to immunizing non-lethal exposure were required to produce population-level seroprevalences comparable with those reported in empirical studies. False positives and/or spatial variation may contribute to high empirical seroprevalences. However, if high seroprevalences are related to high exposure rates, these findings support the need for high vaccination coverage to effectively control this disease.

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Rabies Ecology in Bauchi State, Nigeria

Journal of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences ◽

10.36108/jvbs/9102.20.0120 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 5-12

Author(s):

Bolajoko Muhammad-Bashir ◽

Yakubu Joel Atuman

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cost Effective ◽

The State ◽

Control Measures ◽

P Value ◽

Public Health Implication ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Canine Rabies ◽

Dog Ownership ◽

Dog Owners

Despite availability of safer and cost-effective treatments and vaccines, rabies is still considered among the most fatal viral zoonotic disease worldwide. The epidemiology of rabies is directly associated with the ecology of the reservoirs which needs better understanding to underpin appropriate control measures. There are only few reported attempts made towards understanding the ecology of dog and rabies cases in Nigeria. Although dogs are tolerated and kept in Bauchi State, the risk factors associated with dog ownership in the state, remain to be studied. This study is aimed at determining the risk factors associated with dog ownership in Bauchi state and to evaluate the degree with which the presence or absence of the identified factors can increase or decrease risk of rabies cases in the state. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted amongst dog owners across the state. Basic descriptive analyses were carried out in Microsoft Excel 2016 and IBM SPSS 21 was used to determine the relative risk (RR) of rabies occurrence in households across the state when exposed to each of the identified risk factors where P-value was set at 0.05. A total of 80 questionnaires were completed and received from the respondents. The calculated RR, revealed that the practice of extensive system of management increases the risk of canine rabies amongst dogs of the state by 80% and knowledge of dog owners about canine rabies reduces the risk of canine rabies by 27%. This study confirmed that dogs are owned and tolerated but poorly managed under extensive management system in Bauchi state with increasing risks of rabies spread due to low vaccination coverage and lack of practical application of knowledge on the dangers of rabies amongst the populace. The public health implication of this situation and the need for concerted efforts for sustainable control of rabies in the state is discussed

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Lyssaviruses and rabies: current conundrums, concerns, contradictions and controversies

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.10416.1 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. 184 ◽

Cited By ~ 56

Author(s):

Charles Rupprecht ◽

Ivan Kuzmin ◽

Francois Meslin

Keyword(s):

Rabies Virus ◽

Case Fatality ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Relative Distribution ◽

Canine Rabies ◽

Effective Strategies ◽

Program Support ◽

Animal Populations ◽

Populations At Risk ◽

Causative Agents

Lyssaviruses are bullet-shaped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses and the causative agents of the ancient zoonosis rabies. Africa is the likely home to the ancestors of taxa residing within the GenusLyssavirus, FamilyRhabdoviridae. Diverse lyssaviruses are envisioned as co-evolving with bats, as the ultimate reservoirs, over seemingly millions of years. In terms of relative distribution, overt abundance, and resulting progeny, rabies virus is the most successful lyssavirus species today, but for unknown reasons. All mammals are believed to be susceptible to rabies virus infection. Besides reservoirs among the Chiroptera, meso-carnivores also serve as major historical hosts and are represented among the canids, raccoons, skunks, mongooses, and ferret badgers. Perpetuating as a disease of nature with the mammalian central nervous system as niche, host breadth alone precludes any candidacy for true eradication. Despite having the highest case fatality of any infectious disease and a burden in excess of or comparative to other major zoonoses, rabies remains neglected. Once illness appears, no treatment is proven to prevent death. Paradoxically, vaccines were developed more than a century ago, but the clear majority of human cases are unvaccinated. Tens of millions of people are exposed to suspect rabid animals and tens of thousands succumb annually, primarily children in developing countries, where canine rabies is enzootic. Rather than culling animal populations, one of the most cost-effective strategies to curbing human fatalities is the mass vaccination of dogs. Building on considerable progress to date, several complementary actions are needed in the near future, including a more harmonized approach to viral taxonomy, enhanced de-centralized laboratory-based surveillance, focal pathogen discovery and characterization, applied pathobiological research for therapeutics, improved estimates of canine populations at risk, actual production of required vaccines and related biologics, strategies to maximize prevention but minimize unnecessary human prophylaxis, and a long-term, realistic plan for sustained global program support to achieve success in disease control, prevention, and elimination.

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Using Mapping, Global Positioning System (GPS) and Smart Phone Technology in Rabies Control Program in Kotagiri, Nilgiris District, India

Nepalese Veterinary Journal ◽

10.3126/nvj.v35i0.25249 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 35 ◽

pp. 122-133

Author(s):

E. Pandey ◽

D.K. Singh ◽

R. Raut

Keyword(s):

Global Positioning System ◽

Data Entry ◽

Smart Phone ◽

Control Program ◽

Positioning System ◽

Team Management ◽

Time Data ◽

High Coverage ◽

Canine Rabies ◽

Global Positioning

In this study, we utilized a catch-vaccinate-release approach for dogs in a canine rabies vaccination program in Kotagiri municipality, India. Following vaccination, surveys on dog population and their vaccination status was undertaken. A bespoke smartphone ‘Mission Rabies’ application was developed to facilitate data entry and team management. This global positioning system (GPS) enabled application captured the location of all vaccinated dogs and dogs sighted on post-vaccination surveys. In areas where coverage was below 70%, catching teams were re-deployed to vaccinate additional dogs followed by repeat survey. Out of 248 dogs captured, only 210 dogs were vaccinated because of the previous vaccination history within a year, and refusal of owner due to their misconceptions. In survey, 147 dogs were sighted of which 77 were seen marked with paints indicating a vaccination coverage of 52.4%. The total estimated dog population was found to be 475. Our study demonstrated that mobile technology enabled efficient team management and real-time data entry and analysis. The vaccination approach outlined in this study can serve as a guideline for rapid vaccination of large numbers of dogs with a high coverage rate in free roaming dog populations in India in the future.

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