Rabies Ecology in Bauchi State, Nigeria (original) (raw)
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Epidemiology and Public Health Significance of Rabies
SUMMARY Rabies is one of the oldest recognized diseases affecting all warm-blooded animals and remains to be the most important zoonotic disease mainly affecting the developing countries. It is an acute, progressive and almost fatal encephalomyelitis caused by the Rabies virus and other Lyssavirus species of the family Rhabdoviridae. The disease has worldwide distribution except in some countries where there is strict quarantine system, rigorous eradication program or natural barriers like mountains and rivers. Rabies occurs in more than 150 countries and territories. Of these, most deaths from rabies occur in developing countries with inadequate public health resources and limited access to preventive treatment. This category constitutes mainly the developing countries found in the Asian and African continents. This situation occurs because dog rabies is endemic with dog-to-dog transmission of the infection, which is associated with an ongoing threat to humans due to dog bite. Rabies transmission is usually from virus laden saliva of an infected animal which comes in the contact by the bite from animal to animal or animal to man. Being rabies virus is highly neurotropic; it has high affinity for the central nervous system. The lesions produced in the central nervous system and destruction of the spinal neurons results in the clinical signs manifested by the rabid patients. All rabies infected species usually exhibit typical signs of central nervous system disturbance, with minor variations among species. The direct fluorescent antibody test is the gold standard for rabies diagnosis. An important tool to optimize public and animal health and enhance domestic animal rabies control is routine or emergency implementation of low-cost or free clinics for rabies vaccination. Being rabies is a preventable disease, some possible prevention and control components include, making responsible pet ownership, routine veterinary care and vaccination, and professionals should provide public education about the disease. To facilitate the implementation of these prevention and control components, jurisdictions should work with veterinary medical licensing boards, veterinary associations, the local veterinary community, animal control officials and animal welfare organizations. 100%
The Pan African medical journal, 2018
Introduction: Rabies is a fatal neglected zoonosis killing 55,000 people worldwide annually. It is endemic in Nigeria with 10,000 people exposed annually through dog-bites. To inform adequate intervention due to the rise in reported dog-bite cases, we assessed knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP). Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study among 224 residents in Abuja Municipal Area Council. We used structured questionnaires to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge and attitudes on rabies prevention. Knowledge score of ≥ 8 points based on ten-point domain question were regarded as satisfactory. We analyzed data using Epi-Info and Excel for proportions and associations were determined at 5% significance level. Results: A total of 123 (55%) respondents owned dogs. One hundred and eighty four (82%) respondents had satisfactory knowledge on rabies prevention, about 87% knew where to get dogs vaccinated and would seek medical treatment from the hospital when bitten by a dog. Majority (58%) did not know the frequency of anti-rabies administration for dogs and 63.3% did not know the appropriate first aid actions following dog-bites. Of 123 dog owners, 35% would allow their dogs roam without restriction and 94% reported vaccinating their dogs against rabies. Dog owners were more likely to have satisfactory knowledge of rabies compared to non-dog owners (OR 7.8, 95% CI 1.0-62.0, p = 0.02). Conclusion: Knowledge on rabies is satisfactory but with gaps in the frequency of dog anti-rabies vaccination, appropriate first-aid following dog bites and non restriction of dog movement. To prevent rabies, these gaps need to be addressed through public enlightenment and enforcement of dog movement restrictions laws.
Assessment of risk factors responsible for canine rabies in Oyo State, Nigeria
Sokoto Journal of Veterinary Sciences
Rabies is an acute viral zoonotic disease of the central nervous system. The disease is recognized in all warm-blooded animals where it is known to cause fatal and irreversible encephalomyelitis leading to death. In this study, we carried out a cross sectional questionnaire-based survey to identify the possible risk factors responsible for transmission and sustenance of canine rabies in Oyo State and to what degree the factors are responsible for transmission of canine rabies. A total of 95 questionnaires were administered directly to dog owners across the state. The Microsoft Excel 2016 and The IBM SPSS 21 were used to determine the descriptive analyses of responses from the respondents and the relative risk (RR) of canine rabies occurrence in households across the state when exposed to each of the identified risk factor. Results revealed that the type of management system adopted for rearing and keeping the dogs is a major factor capable of predisposing dogs to rabies disease. In conclusion, the risk factor identified could be referred to as possible impediment to eradicating rabies in Oyo State. Concerted efforts by the relevant stakeholders including the government and the general-public are therefore germane to elimination of canine rabies in the State. Possible solutions to curtail further spread of the disease in the state were discussed.
2012
Dog use and associated management practices were investigated in Ilorin, the capital city of Kwara State, Nigeria from August to October 2010. All identified 16,348 household compounds in the city were investigated. Five hundred (500) questionnaires were directly administered at household and compound levels to capture data on socioeconomic profile of dog owners, reasons for keeping dogs and types of management system practiced. The results indicated that majority [621, n = 1,258 (49.4%)] of dogs were kept primarily for security of premises. Some 205 (16.3%) were kept for breeding and commercial ventures, 184 (14.6%) were kept as pets, 103 (8.2%) were kept essentially for game hunting, 98 (7.8%) were used for multiple purposes and 47 (3.7%) were raised as source of meat. Dog management ranged from intensive (kennel confined) [331, (26.3%)], to extensive (free-roaming) system in 927 (73.7%) dogs. Dogs were kennel confined mostly [207, (16.5%)] in high income residential areas, while all dogs in transit areas were free-roaming. A positive correlation (r 2 =0.74) exists between extensive practice and dogs for meat production which were left to scavenge freely in the city. The implication of dog use and management practices in relation to rabies control in Ilorin city and its environs is discussed in this paper. Status of community hygiene and environmental health is contributory to rabies risk in the city. Improved community hygiene is needed to complement effective vaccination coverage of dogs for rabies control in the city.
Ecological and Socioeconomic Factors in the Occurrence of Rabies: A Forgotten Scenario
Infectious Disease Reports
In many third world countries, where rabies is endemic in dog populations, humans continue to be at risk of contracting the disease. Vaccination is the most effective form of prophylaxis for people, yet it often fails to adequately protect dogs. The most major implications are the costs of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) after an exposure occurs and the loss of human life and productivity due to early mortality from rabies (about 60,000 deaths annually). The largest rabies death tolls can be found in the world’s poorest regions, where rabies vaccinations for domestic dogs are uncommon and PEP is scarce. Mass vaccination of dogs, neutering programs, patient PEP, strengthening laboratory and human resources, education and awareness, and animal and human rabies surveillance are all common methods used to prevent, control, and ultimately eradicate dog-mediated human rabies. Current rabies control initiatives, however, pay little attention to the role that ecological and socioeconomic va...
One Health & Implementation Research, 2023
Background: Rabies, a deadly viral human-animal disease, remains endemic in Nigeria. Identifying gaps in rabies knowledge, attitudes, and practices among dog owners in communities within Southwestern Nigeria remains a public health goal. This cross-sectional study investigated the knowledge of and attitudes to rabies exposure, prophylaxis and associated factors, and practices during rabies exposure and prophylaxis among dog owners in Ogun State, Nigeria. Methods: Using multistage sampling technique, 500 dog owners were randomly selected and interviewed with a pre-tested structured questionnaire. Data collected on their socio-demographics, knowledge of and attitudes to Results: The majority of the respondents were female (53.0%; 265 respondents of 500 respondents), 32 years old (54.6%; 273 of 500), and had primary and secondary education (53.2%; 266 of 500 respondents). The majority (60.0%; 300 of 500 respondents) allowed their dogs to roam the streets, but only 120 (24.0%) had vaccinated their dogs up to date. Of the 500 respondents, 145 (29%) had experienced dog bites, but few (4.1%; 6 of 145) received rabies vaccine, and even fewer (2.8%; 4 of 145) completed the regimen. Proportions of respondents with knowledge, attitudes, and practices associated with higher rabies risks were 37.8%, 59.4%, and 97.6%, respectively. Age (P = 0.01), education (P = 0.04), short-term dog ownership (P = 0.01), and occupation (P = 0.01) were factors associated with their practices in relation to higher rabies risks. Conclusion: The knowledge, attitudes, and practices of dog owners towards rabies exposure portends a high risk. Public health interventions to achieve behavioural change, and the enforcement of dog vaccination and leash laws are highly recommended.
Rabies Exposures, Post-Exposure Prophylaxis and Deaths in a Region of Endemic Canine Rabies
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2008
Background: Thousands of human deaths from rabies occur annually despite the availability of effective vaccines following exposure, and for disease control in the animal reservoir. Our aim was to assess risk factors associated with exposure and to determine why human deaths from endemic canine rabies still occur. Methods and Findings: Contact tracing was used to gather data on rabies exposures, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) delivered and deaths in two rural districts in northwestern Tanzania from 2002 to 2006. Data on risk factors and the propensity to seek and complete courses of PEP was collected using questionnaires. Exposures varied from 6-141/100,000 per year. Risk of exposure to rabies was greater in an area with agropastoralist communities (and larger domestic dog populations) than an area with pastoralist communities. Children were at greater risk than adults of being exposed to rabies and of developing clinical signs. PEP dramatically reduced the risk of developing rabies (odds ratio [OR] 17.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.39-60.83) and when PEP was not delivered the risks were higher in the pastoralist than the agropastoralist area (OR 6.12, 95% CI 2.60-14.58). Low socioeconomic class and distance to medical facilities lengthened delays before PEP delivery. Over 20% of rabies-exposed individuals did not seek medical treatment and were not documented in official records and ,65% received PEP. Animal bite injury records were an accurate indicator of rabies exposure incidence. Conclusions: Insufficient knowledge about rabies dangers and prevention, particularly prompt PEP, but also wound management, was the main cause of rabies deaths. Education, particularly in poor and marginalized communities, but also for medical and veterinary workers, would prevent future deaths.
Understanding domestic dog population dynamics and ecology is necessary for any effective rabies control program. This study was conducted as part of the baseline epidemiological studies necessary for the establishment of the Kwara Rabies Rapid Alert System “KRRAS”. The aim of this study was to determine the dog population structure of Kwara State by assessing the dog ownership, vaccination status, and prevalence of dog bites.A total of 1,460 questionnaires were administered to respondents in the three senatorial zones of the state using Open Data Kit (ODK) between June 2019 to January 2020.Of the 1460 households surveyed, 293 (20.1%) owned at least one dog with an average of 2.25 dogs per household. The male to female ratio was 2.2:1 and 85% (n=250/293) of the owned dogs were local breeds. A total of 785 dogs was enumerated (659 dogs from 293 households and 126 free-roaming dogs) and 7811 persons which resulted in a dog-human ratio of 1:9.95. The estimated dog population is 376,789...
Domestic dogs are by far the most important specie in the maintenance and transmission of rabies in Nigeria. For rabies to spill over from a domestic to wild population, three conditions must be satisfied: susceptibility of the wild species, presence of the disease agent in the domestic population, and contact between the two populations of interest. The study was carried to investigate the potential of rabies spill over from the domestic dog population to the wildlife population in the Yankari and Lame-bura game reserves, in Bauchi State, Nigeria. Demographic data of dogs including age, sex, breed, functions and health management were obtained using structured questionnaires and oral interview. A total of 202 heads of dog were collected from dog meat markets to determine the presence of rabies antigen using fluorescent antibody test. Majority of the dogs owned were local breeds (86.95%) used mainly for security (40.62%) and hunting (40.78%) purposes. Dog owners reported low vaccination coverage (9.53%), a level considered insufficient to prevent rabies transmission. There was high population turnover of dogs with frequent opportunities for contacts with humans, domestic animals and wildlife species with conflicts at the level of the interface. Forty-six (22.8%) of the brain samples tested were positive for rabies. In conclusion, rabies in dogs is a threat to wildlife conservation and of increasing public health risk in Bauchi State, Nigeria.
Evaluation and Enhancement of an Existing Rabies Control Program
1. Background: Nepal is geo-ecologically divided into mountainous, hilly and terai (plain) region. It is administratively divided into 5 development regions, 14 zones, and 75 districts which constitute 58 municipalities, 3915 Village Development Committees (VDC), and nearly 36,000 wards. 22.73 M people reside in the country and 85% of them live in peri-urban and rural areas, however 15% live in urban areas (CBS, 2004). Livestock population is estimated to be 7.0 M cattle (milking cows: 0.87 M), 3.8 M buffalo (Milking: 0.99 M), 6.8 M goats, 0.83 M sheep, 0.93 M pigs, 28.9 M poultry (22.3 M broilers and 6.6 Layers) and 0.62 M Duck (Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives , Agri-Business Promotion and Statistics Division, 2002/2003). Rabies is a major animal disease of public health importance in Nepal. Outbreaks of rabies in animals and thereby exposure in human is reported from the several parts of the country. Due to lack of effective rabies control program, livestock and human are at constant risk of rabies. Canine rabies is the major epidemiological pattern as more than 95% of the human rabies (EDCD, 2003) and livestock rabies (CEU, 2003) cases are due to rabid dog bites. There is no effective birth control program in canine targeted especially to stray and community dogs. The dog population is estimated to be approximately 2 million in the country at the human: dog ratio of 12:1 in urban areas and 10:1 in rural or peri-urban areas (dog population survey, 2001). Rabies is maintained in two inter related cycles urban and sylvatic. Canine rabies is the most important epidemiological pattern of the disease. Densely populated terai belt, mid hills and the areas adjoining to the forest are as high-risk for rabies. Similarly veterinarians, animal health technicians, persons working at rabies laboratory and wild reserves etc. are at high risk. Stray and community dogs are mainly responsible for disease transmission to humans. However, 75% of the total dog population could be reached for vaccination in urban and peri-urban areas. At the present, the rabies surveillance in animal is done in an integrated manner by central epidemiology unit under animal health directorate. The method of information collection is passive and through the district livestock services offices on a monthly basis. There is no active form of rabies surveillance and the tracing back of the source. There is no laboratory based rabies surveillance in animals. Laboratory facilities for the diagnosis of rabies in human and animals are not available below central level. So far, the rabies virus sequencing from the brain sample taken in Kathmandu revealed Arctic fox genome virus (Jai JN & H. Bhouri, 1999). Rabies vaccine production laboratory (RVPL) under Department of Livestock Services (DLS) produces nervous tissue origin antirabies vaccine (NTO-ARV) for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of canine and felines. It also produces NTO-ARV for the post exposure treatment (PET) of animal and human. However, this laboratory is currently involved in the research and development of cell culture origin antirabies vaccine (CCO-ARV) for animal and human use. Currently, indigenous CCO-ARV for animal use is under trial. Rabies surveillance in human is done by Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) under Department of Health Services (DHS). However, the collection of the information on the exposure and sources is passive and through district level hospitals on a monthly basis and immediate in case of an outbreak. This division is mainly responsible for the supply of NTO-ARV produced by RVPL to the affected areas. It is also actively involved in increasing public health education. Approximately 30,000 post exposure treatment cases of rabies in humans are estimated per annum. Annually, 25,000 people receive PET with NTO-ARV at free of charge. However, around 5000 people purchase the commercially available CCO-ARV per annum. Similarly, 100 hydrophobia (human rabies) cases are estimated per annum. World Health Organization (WHO) has been advising to cease the production and the usage of NTO-ARV and strongly recommends the use of CCO-ARV in human. However, the country couldn't immediately follow due to the high cost of commercially available CCO-ARV. But RVPL is putting efforts to produce CCO-ARV for human use. The country is looking for the transfer of technology at the level of quality control of the vaccine to be produced for human use. The primary objective of the National Health Policy is to extend the primary health care system to the rural population so that they benefit from modern medical facilities and trained health care providers. The National Health Policy mainly addresses preventive, promotive, curative and basic primary health care services. Based on above policy, EDCD has 3 main interventions under Essential Health Care Scheme (EHCS) namely a. Appropriate treatment of common diseases and injuries – addresses Rabies b. Vector borne disease control-addresses Malaria, Leishmaniasis, Japanese Encephalitis