Rabies In Asia Research Articles

Sequential Monitoring of Pre-exposure Antirabies Vaccinal Neutralizing Antibodies in Dogs

Background: Effective animal vaccines against Rabies that provide a considerable duration of immunity and mass parenteral vaccination programmes remain the mainstay of canine rabies control. Animal birth control (ABC) programmes coupled with pre-exposure anti-rabies vaccination with booster dose at regular interval have been advocated as a method to control urban street male and female dog populations and ultimately human rabies in Asia. The present study is aimed to determine the persistence of antirabies neutralizing antibodies to pre-exposure vaccination in dogs and the effect of booster vaccination on pre-exposure antirabies vaccinal neutralizing antibody levels. Methods: The study was conducted in 30 non-descript dogs which were divided into two groups containing 15 animals each. Dogs in group I were given pre exposure prophylaxis with booster dose after 21 days and animals in group II were given primary vaccination without any booster dose. Serum samples were collected at 0th, 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, 60th, 90th and 120th days post vaccination. Seromonitoring of antirabies vaccinal antibodies was done in both groups by RFFIT. Result: 80 per cent of the animals in group I were able to maintain the mean antibody titre above protective level upto 4 months successfully, whereas, 40 per cent of the animals in group II were able to maintain mean antibody titer above protective level only upto 2 months. With the inactivated vaccine, booster dose given three weeks after the primary vaccination has ensured levels of neutralizing antibodies greater than 0.5 IU/ml for a period of at least four months.

Reorienting rabies research and practice: Lessons from India

In this article, we reflect on the institutional and everyday realities of people-street dog relations in India to develop a case for decolonised approaches to rabies and other zoonoses. Dog-mediated rabies in Asia and Africa continues be a major concern in transnational public health agendas despite extensive research and knowledge on its prevention. In India, which carries 35% of the global rabies burden and has large street dog populations, One Health-oriented dog population management programmes have been central to the control of this zoonotic disease. Yet, rabies continues to be a significant problem in the country. In this article, we address this impasse in rabies research and practice through investigations of interactions between people, policy, and street dogs. Drawing primarily on field and archival research in Chennai city, we track how street dogs are perceived by people, explore how these animals have come into interface with (public) health concerns over time, and examine the biosocial conditions that frame people-dog conflict (and thereby rabies). These analyses create a picture of the multidimensional character of people-dog relations to offer new insights on why One Health-oriented rabies initiatives have not borne out their full promise. In effect, the article makes a case for a shift in public health orientations—away from intervening on these animals as vectors to be managed, and towards enabling multispecies habitats. This, we argue, requires the decolonisation of approaches to dog-mediated rabies, and expanded conceptions of ‘healthy more-than-human publics’. In conclusion, the article chalks out broader implications for public health approaches to zoonoses in a world marked by mutual risk and vulnerability that cuts across human and nonhuman animals.

Descriptive assessment of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis procurement, distribution, monitoring, and reporting in four Asian countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka, 2017–2018

BackgroundThere are approximately 35,000 human deaths from rabies in Asia annually. Rabies can be prevented through timely post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) consisting of wound washing, rabies vaccine, and in some cases, rabies immunoglobulin (RIG). However, access to rabies PEP often remains limited to urban areas and is cost-prohibitive. There is little information on procurement, distribution, monitoring, and reporting of rabies PEP. MethodsWe interviewed key informants in the public sector from various levels in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka between March 2017 and May 2018 using a descriptive assessment tool to obtain information on procurement, distribution, monitoring, and reporting of rabies PEP. These four countries in Asia were chosen to showcase a range of rabies PEP systems. National rabies focal points were interviewed in each country and focal points helped identify additional key informants at lower levels. ResultsA total of 22 key informants were interviewed at various levels (central level to health facility level) including national rabies focal points in each country. Each country has a unique system for managing rabies PEP procurement, distribution, monitoring, and reporting. There are varying levels of PEP access for those with potential rabies exposures. Rabies PEP is available in select health facilities throughout the country in Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. In Cambodia, rabies PEP is limited to two urban centers. The availability of RIG in all four countries is limited. In these four countries, most aspects of the rabies PEP distribution system operate independently of systems for other vaccines. However, in Bhutan, rabies PEP and Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) vaccines share cold chain space in some locations at the lowest level. All countries have a monitoring system in place, but there is limited reporting of data, particularly to the central level. ConclusionSystems to procure, deliver, monitor, and report on rabies PEP are variable across countries. Sharing information on practices more widely among countries can help programs to increase access to this life-saving treatment.

Strategies for controlling dog-mediated human rabies in Asia: using 'One Health' principles to assess control programmes for rabies.

Over 99% of human rabies cases in endemic areas are transmitted by dogs. Without the elimination of dog rabies, it is not easy to reduce human rabies infection. Controlling dog rabies, especially in ownerless or free-roaming dogs, is critical if we are to decrease the rate of human rabies infection. There are several components in a strategy to eliminate dog-mediated rabies in Asia. Each government must make sure that rabies is either a reportable disease or a notifiable disease and enforce the reporting requirements accordingly. They must also focus on organising and operating special rabies control committees that work with relevant agencies under the 'One Health' banner. They should also implement a national rabies control programme that includes mass dog vaccination, laboratory-based surveillance, stable budget allocation, a rapidreporting system, management of dog populations, international cooperation, prevention of animal introductions from other countries, and risk assessment to analyse the programme's weaknesses. As several developed countries have shown, an effective rabies control strategy leads to rabies-free status. In the Republic of Korea, human rabies has not occurred since 2004, and there have not been any confirmed cases of dog rabies or cases of rabies in wild animals, including raccoon dogs, since 2014. The successful implementation of the key strategies used to eliminate rabies in the Republic of Korea will enable other Asian countries to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies.

Severe Abdominal Pain as the First Manifestation of Rabies

Introduction:Rabies is an acute fatal viral disease that is generally transmitted from animals to humans following wild and domestic animal bites. The rabies virus enters the body from the area where the individual is bitten, and then the virus moves towards the brain and involves the nerves.Case Presentation:During the years 2001-2011, there have been 73 reported rabies cases. About 50,000 reported human deaths are annually due to rabies. The actual number of human deaths due to rabies in Asia especially India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are more than these numbers, since there is no advanced surveillance system for disease control to determine the actual number of infected and fatal human cases. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) reports, more than 10 million people who are bitten by animals are annually treated by prophylactic treatment regimens for rabies, worldwide.Conclusions:This paper reports on a case of human rabies with the first disease manifestation (severe abdominal pain). The patient reported extensive biting on his left leg by a dog. He had a slight fever of 38.1°C. It has been recommended that a careful history should be taken from patients for diagnosis of rabies disease. A complete history should be taken from patients for diagnosis of disease, because rabies could be wrong with various diseases with atypical symptoms. because various diseases with atypical symptoms or long incubation periods can visit.

Review of Rabies Epidemiology and Control in South, South East and East Asia: Past, Present and Prospects for Elimination

Rabies is a serious public health problem in Asia. It causes substantial animal welfare, economic and human health impacts, with approximately 39,000 human deaths each year. Domestic dogs are the main reservoir and source of rabies in Asia. Common constraints for the control of rabies in the countries of Asia include inadequate resources; lack of political commitment to control programs; lack of consensus on strategy; weak intersectoral coordination and inadequate management structure; insensitive surveillance systems; limited accessibility to modern rabies vaccine and supply problems; lack of public awareness and public cooperation; and the existence of myths and religious issues. In this review, we summarize the epidemiology of rabies in both human and animals in each South and South East Asian country, the past and current approaches to control and the prospect for rabies elimination. We conclude that defining the cost of rabies to society and communicating this to decisionmakers might be the key to achieving such an advance.

Evolutionary dynamics of rabies viruses highlights the importance of China rabies transmission in Asia

Rabies in Asia is emerging as a serious public health issue. To explore the possible origin, phylogenetic relationships, and evolutionary dynamics of Asian Rabies viruses (RABV), we examined 200 complete nucleoprotein (N) gene sequences from RABV isolates in the region. Phylogeny supported the classification of Asian RABVs into five distinct clusters in lyssavirus genotype 1. Our geospatial and temporal analyses demonstrated that China appears to be the prime source of Asian RABVs. Understanding of rabies transmission and associated human activities, such as dog translocation, can help rabies control and elimination in Asia through collaborative efforts or programs.

Epidemiological profile of Bite Cases Admitted at a 50 bedded Community Health Centre of Himachal Pradesh, India

Introduction: Animal Bites pose a major public health threat both in developed and developing nations. Death caused by rabies is responsible for 1.74 million Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY) each year. The estimated annual cost of rabies in Asia is US $ 563 million. In India, patients pay for nearly half of financial burden attributed to rabies A total of 30 cases of animal bites were admitted in the hospital during the period out of which 56.7 % were females (p> 0.05 on Fisher's exact probability test). Majority (46.6%) of bites was due to wasp/bee bite followed by snakebite and dog-bite (20% each) and bites by unknown insect/reptile (13.4%). Most (66.6%) of dog-bite cases were observed in the age-group of 6-15 years, while 100% snake-bite was observed in higher age-group (>15 years) only. Majority was seen from rural area (76.7 %) as compared to urban. The average length of stay (ALS) of all the bite cases was about 1.8 days. Conclusion and Recommendations: It is recommended that regional strategies should be made for prevention and management of bite cases. The community should be made aware of local home management. The serum and vaccines for rabies should be made available till primary health centre level along with capacity building of medical staff. Municipal Cooperation should also play a sincere role in removing garbage from roads and catch suspected rabid and stray dogs thus controlling stray dog population.

Control of rabies: Epidemiology of rabies in Asia and development of new-generation vaccines for rabies

Rabies is an enzootic viral disease widespread throughout the world. Although it is a vaccine-preventable disease, the annual number of human deaths caused by rabies is estimated to be 32,000 in Asia. Phylogenetic analysis based on sequence data of the partial N gene of rabies viruses in Asia has shown that the viruses are divided into five genogroups, distributed in Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia, Malay, and Arctic regions. The genetic relationships among these rabies viruses agree basically with the results of previous studies. Meanwhile, new types of vaccines are being developed by applying gene manipulation techniques to rabies virus in order to overcome the disadvantages of current vaccines. This article reviews the molecular epidemiology of rabies in Asia and progress made in the development of new-generation rabies vaccines with the goal of elimination or control of rabies in Asia.

Isolation of Rabies Virus from Fruit Bats in Thailand

THE transmission of rabies by bats was first reported in 1921 (ref. 1). Vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus murinus) have been found to be an important carrier of sylvatic rabies in South America2, and they have been known to shed the virus in their saliva for long periods of time without apparent illness3. Since 1953, when the first rabies isolate from bats in the United States was made from a yellow bat (Dasypterus floridanus) in Florida, there have been more than five hundred isolates from bats in at least thirty-six States4. A survey of the literature has failed to reveal reports of rabies in bats in south-east Asia, and publications of the World Health Organization5,6 state that surveys of bat rabies in Asia have been consistently negative. The same statement about bat rabies in Europe, however, was refuted by Pitzschke7, who isolated rabies virus from a wide-winged bat (Epitescus serotinus) in Thuringia, Germany. The high prevalence of rabies in Thailand and the dense bat population prompted us to investigate the disease in bats in this area.