Dog Rabies Vaccination Research Articles

Safety and efficacy assessment of an mRNA rabies vaccine in dogs, rodents, and cynomolgus macaques

Rabies is a lethal disease caused by the rabies virus (RABV), which causes acute neurological infections in mammals, including human beings. We previously reported that an mRNA vaccine (LVRNA001) encoding the rabies virus’s glycoprotein induced strong protective immune responses to rabies in mice and dogs. Here, we further evaluate the safety of LVRNA001. First, we performed a confirmative efficacy study in dogs, which showed that LVRNA001 fully protected the animals from the virus, both pre- and post-infection. Moreover, using pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis murine models, we showed that LVRNA001, built from the CTN-1 strain, was able to protect against various representative RABV strains from the China I–VII clades. To evaluate the safety of the vaccine, chronic and reproductive toxicity studies were performed with cynomolgus macaques and rats, respectively. In a repeated-dose chronic toxicity study, vaccinated monkeys displayed no significant alterations in body weight, temperature, or hematological and biochemical markers. Lymphocyte subset measurement and histopathological examination showed that no toxicity was associated with the vaccine. The immunogenicity study in cynomolgus macaques demonstrated that LVRNA001 promoted the generation of neutralizing antibodies and Th1-biased immune response. Evaluation of reproductive toxicity in rats revealed that administration of LVRNA001 had no significant effects on fertility, maternal performance, reproductive processes, and postnatal outcomes. In conclusion, LVRNA001 can provide efficient protection against rabies virus infection in dogs and mice, and toxicity studies showed no significant vaccine-related adverse effects, suggesting that LVRNA001 is a promising and safe vaccine candidate for rabies prophylaxis and therapy.

Does Perioperative Administration of Rabies Vaccine in Dogs Undergoing Surgical Sterilization Induce an Adequate Antibody Response?

High-volume spay/neuter events may facilitate access to free-roaming dogs to admi-nister rabies vaccination, but important questions remain regarding the effect of surgery and anesthesia on the immune response to a vaccine administered in the perioperative period. This study evaluated the immunogenicity of primary rabies vaccination in dogs when administered during the immediate perioperative period at the time of surgical sterilization (ovariohysterectomy/orchidectomy). Healthy dogs of both sexes presenting for surgical sterilization who had never been vaccinated against rabies virus were eligible for enrollment in the study. Fifty dogs ranging in age from 5 to 96 months were enrolled and were vaccinated against rabies virus during the recovery period following anesthesia and surgery. Rabies virus neutralizing antibody (RVNA) titers were measured preoperatively and 28 days postoperatively. This cohort was compared to a historical control cohort of 57 dogs who received primary rabies vaccination for travel purposes and had RVNA titers measured at the same laboratory as the study group 28-35 days post-vaccination. After controlling for age and sex, there was no statistically significant difference in immunogenicity of a rabies vaccine administered to dogs during the perioperative period in comparison to dogs that received the rabies vaccine for travel alone in the absence of surgery. Perioperative administration of a rabies vaccine in dogs under-going surgical sterilization induces an adequate antibody response. We recommend that rabies vaccine be administered perioperatively during spay/neuter campaigns in canine rabies endemic areas if other opportunities to ac-cess veterinary care and rabies vaccination are limited.

Factors Involved in the Immunological Protection against Rabies Virus in Dogs in Spain.

Rabies, a viral disease spread by infected animal bites that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals, is a neglected infectious disease present on all continents except Antarctica. Spain has been free of terrestrial rabies since 1978. However, due to its geographical situation, it represents a bridge for imported cases from an endemic continent such as Africa to Europe. Rabies vaccination in dogs is an essential preventive tool against this zoonosis. The aim of this study was to determine the state of the immune response against rabies virus in dogs in Spain and to demonstrate whether several factors that have been previously related to the influence of the seroprevalence of this species are involved here. The seroconversion level of this zoonotic virus was assessed in a total of 1060 animals. Indirect ELISA was used to obtain data for statistical analysis to evaluate the studied variables. Working under the concept of One Health, this study provides relevant information to be taken into consideration not only to prevent re-emergence in countries free of this disease but also for prevention and control in endemic countries.

Dog ecology and rabies knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) in the Northern Communal Areas of Namibia.

In 2021, a comprehensive dog demographic questionnaire combined with a KAP survey were conducted in the northern communal areas (NCAs) of Namibia with the aim of gaining a better understanding of dog populations, owner behaviour, and knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) relating to rabies. The survey of 3,726 households across the eight regions of the NCAs provided insights that will inform interventions in order to improve human rabies prevention and Namibia's dog rabies control strategy. The results showed a relatively low average human/dog ratio (HDR) of 5.4:1 indicating a surprisingly high dog population of at least 272,000 dogs in the NCAs, 93% of which appear to be owned but are free-roaming. Data analysis revealed opportunities but also highlighted needs for improvements in rabies surveillance and mass dog vaccinations. Although knowledge, attitude, and practice scores towards epidemiologic and clinical aspects, human rabies prevention, and dog rabies vaccination were deemed to be acceptable, the survey nevertheless revealed deficiencies in certain aspects in some of the population. Interestingly, data seemed to indicate relatively high dog bite incidences per 100,000 people, ranging between 262 and 1,369 and a certain number of unreported human rabies cases. Despite the very high number of dogs, only 50% of dog-owning households reported having vaccinated their dogs. In order to address these issues, the planning, announcement, and implementation of mass dog vaccination campaigns needs to be adapted to achieve adequate vaccination coverage. Another focus needs to be on rabies awareness and education if Namibia is to be significantly contributing to the global goal of "Zero by 30".

PREVALENCE OF DOG BITE CASES IN HUMANS AND VACCINATION COVERAGE AGAINST RABIES IN SELECTED PARTS OF LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

Aim: Lagos State has a long history of rabies control efforts. However, the success of such efforts and the goal to eliminate rabies is yet to be realized. This study was carried out to evaluate dog bite cases in humans presented to the Lagos State Teaching Hospital Ikeja and to evaluate anti-rabies vaccination coverage in dogs presented for dog consultation at the State Animal Hospital Agege and a private Veterinary Clinic Ikeja between the years of 2012 to 2018. Methods: Factors such as age, sex and season of dog bites in humans as well as the age and sex of dogs presented for anti-rabies vaccination were obtained for the years under review. Also, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using structured questionnaires to assess knowledge on rabies and factors affecting routine anti-rabies dog vaccination amongst consenting residents and dog owners of selected households in Ikeja and Agege Local Government Areas of Lagos state. Results: From the retrospective data on dog bites in humans, a total of 347 dog bites was reported with 59.7% (207) occurring in females and 40.3% (140) in males, all of whom were adults aged between 25 to 40 years. Seasonal distribution of bites indicates a higher frequency in the months of April, July and October. A total of 300 (13.2%) dogs were vaccinated out of 2,275 cases presented to the State Animal Hospital Agege, 48% (144) of which were females and 52% (156) males. 62.7% (188) of the dogs were aged between 3 to 12 months, 23.3% (70) aged between 12 to 36 months and 14% (42) aged above 36 months. A total of 295 (28.1%) dogs were vaccinated out of the 1,048 cases presented to the private Veterinary Clinic at Ikeja. On the cross-sectional study, 422 consenting households were issued a questionnaire across the two local government areas. Overall, 330 (78.2%) had satisfactory knowledge on rabies, while 92 (21.8%) had a non-satisfactory knowledge on rabies, 287 (68%) knew what to do when bitten by a dog while 135 (32%) gave a non-satisfactory response, 302 (71.6%) had reasonable response to perceived threats of rabies whereas 120 (28.4%) respondents were not quite knowledgeable on the perceived threats of rabies. Factors affecting routine anti-rabies vaccination in dogs such as breed, cost, distance and ease of handling were assessed among 196 dog owners out of the 422 selected households, with no statistical significance as factors associated with or affecting dog rabies vaccination coverage. Conclusions: The result of this study indicates that dog bite as a threat to spread of rabies is still a menace and anti-rabies vaccination coverage of dogs falls below the recommended standard by the World Health Organization despite various existing control programs. Despite majority of respondents having satisfactory knowledge on rabies, their attitudes towards rabies prevention were inadequate.

Does Perioperative Administration of Rabies Vaccine in Dogs Undergoing Surgical Sterilization Induce an Adequate Antibody Response?

High-volume spay/neuter events may facilitate access to free-roaming dogs to administer rabies vaccination, but important questions remain regarding the effect of surgery and anesthesia on the immune response to a vaccine administered in the perioperative period. This study evaluated the immunogenicity of primary rabies vaccination in dogs when administered during the immediate perioperative period at the time of surgical sterilization (ovariohysterectomy/orchidectomy). Healthy dogs of both sexes presenting for surgical sterilization who had never been vaccinated against rabies virus were eligible for enrollment in the study. Fifty dogs ranging in age from 5 to 96 months were enrolled and were vaccinated against rabies virus during the recovery period following anesthesia and surgery. Rabies virus neutralizing antibody (RVNA) titers were measured preoperatively and 28 days postoperatively. This cohort was compared to a historical control cohort of 57 dogs who received primary rabies vaccination for travel purposes and had RVNA titers measured at the same laboratory as the study group 28-35 days post-vaccination. After controlling for age and sex, there was no statistically significant difference in immunogenicity of a rabies vaccine administered to dogs during the perioperative period in comparison to dogs that received the rabies vaccine for travel alone in the absence of surgery. Perioperative administration of a rabies vaccine in dogs undergoing surgical sterilization induces an adequate antibody response. We recommend that rabies vaccine be administered perioperatively during spay/neuter campaigns in canine rabies endemic areas if other opportunities to access veterinary care and rabies vaccination are limited.

Optimizing Dog Rabies Vaccination Services to the Public: A Discrete Choice Experiment in Guangdong, China.

Vaccination for dogs is essential for controlling rabies and achieving the goal of eliminating dog-mediated rabies globally by 2030. This paper aims to investigate the preferences for public services regarding rabies vaccination, in an effort to optimize the existing rabies vaccination and prevention programs in China. The households investigated had significant preferences for dog rabies vaccination service attributes. The households can be classified into three types: resolute executors (52.13%), mischievous rebels (5.85%), and incentivized compliers (42.02%). The residence, the presence of children in the household, perception of the safety risks, and knowledge of rabies may be sources of heterogeneity. Supportive services on dog rabies vaccination should be made available, such as arranging weekend vaccination services, building mobile vaccination stations, providing home vaccination services, and increasing vaccine supply through multiple channels. Furthermore, multiple measures can be taken to increase rabies vaccination awareness among family members and facilitate dog management innovation to further increase the level of rabies prevention and control.

Emergency response using oral rabies vaccination of dogs –field data from Namibia demonstrate high efficiency

Dog-mediated rabies is responsible for tens of thousands of human deaths annually, and in resource-constrained settings, vaccinating dogs to control the disease at source remains challenging for various reasons. Currently, rabies elimination efforts rely on mass dog vaccination by the parenteral route. While oral rabies vaccination (ORV) of dogs is primarily considered a tool to increase herd immunity, particularly by targeting free-roaming and stray dogs, here, we are showcasing an ORV-only approach as an emergency response model. Using a third-generation vaccine and a standardized egg-flavored bait, we assessed the effectiveness and vaccination under field conditions in the Zambezi region of Namibia. During this trial, with four teams and within four working days, 3097 dogs were offered a bait, of which 88,0% were considered vaccinated. Teams managed to vaccinate, on average, over 20 dogs/h, despite using a door-to-door vaccination approach.The favorable results both in terms of bait acceptance and successful vaccination as well as field applicability and effectiveness further support the great potential of ORV in dog rabies control programmes.

Assessment of Immune Responses to Rabies Vaccination in Free-Ranging Dogs in Bengaluru, India.

Rabies is a fatal encephalomyelitis mainly transmitted to humans and other animals by rabid dog bites. Hence, vaccination programs are being instituted for the control of rabies in dogs. Though stray dogs have been vaccinated for years under various programs initiated for control of the disease, the effectiveness of these programs can be ascertained only by assessing the immunity of these dogs. With this in view, a study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the ongoing mass dog vaccination (MDV) program by the Bengaluru City Municipal Corporation, Bengaluru, India. Whole blood and serum samples (n = 260) from vaccinated stray dogs in 26 wards of 8 corporation zones were tested by rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT) as well as an in-house quantitative indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA) for a humoral response and by interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) ELISA for a cellular response. As determined by the cut-off value of 0.5 IU/mL of serum, 71% and 87% of the samples from vaccinated dogs revealed adequate levels of antibodies presumed to confer protection by RFFIT and iELISA, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the iELISA were 100% and 63.3%, respectively. The IFN-γ ELISA revealed adequate cellular response in 50% of the samples. The quantitative iELISA was found to be useful in large-scale seromonitoring of MDV programs to aid in the elimination of dog-mediated rabies.

Epidemiological Associations between Rabies Vaccination and Dog Owner Characteristics.

The annual rabies vaccination coverage in dogs among 47 prefectures in Japan has been reported to range from 42.3% to 92.4%, and the overall coverage has been steadily declining. Given the presence of unregistered dogs and the small number of stray dogs, the true vaccination coverage is likely to be even lower. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of dog owners to identify the owner characteristics associated with dog rabies vaccination. People in Japan who currently own dogs were recruited and answered a questionnaire consisting of four sections: (i) demographic characteristics, (ii) education history associated with medicine, (iii) factors related to veterinary services, and (iv) dog characteristics. A total of 534 dog owners covering 629 dogs were surveyed. Vaccination within the prior 12 months was the major outcome (56.1%). The associated variables were (a) owner education level, (b) knowledge about mandatory vaccination, (c) having a family veterinary clinic, (d) frequency of visiting a veterinary clinic, and (e) having ever been advised to vaccinate their dog. Although causality cannot be implied, our findings indicate improving owners' knowledge about mandatory vaccination, facilitating attachment to a veterinary clinic, and veterinarians providing vaccination advice might increase the uptake of dog rabies vaccination. The finding in Japan did not deviate from Asian and African countries with rabies, and the sample estimate of annual vaccination coverage was lower than the reported estimate among registered dogs.

Association between socioeconomic and demographic factors and rabies vaccination of dogs and cats

Resumo Introdução A raiva é uma doença endêmica no Brasil, cuja forma de combate em humanos é a vacinação de animais. Objetivo Buscou-se analisar associação entre fatores sociodemográficos e econômicos de adultos com vacinação antirrábica de animais domésticos com amostra da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde realizada em 2013. Método Estudo transversal tendo como desfecho vacinação antirrábica de cães e gatos e exposições: sexo, idade, escolaridade, renda per capita e cor da pele autodeclarada do chefe de domicílio. Foram realizadas análises bi e multivariadas por meio de regressão logística. Resultados No Brasil, 59,3% (IC95%59,1-59,5) dos domicílios tinham animal de estimação. Em relação à vacinação antirrábica, a região Sudeste possui a maior prevalência, em que 84,8% (IC95%83,3-86,2) dos domicílios vacinaram todos os cães e gatos, contra 63,7% (IC95%60,9-66,3) na região Sul. Indivíduos com ≥50 anos têm 64% mais chances de vacinar cães e gatos, comparados àqueles na faixa etária mais jovem (18-29 anos). Quanto à escolaridade, indivíduos com ≥12 anos de estudo têm 2,4 vezes mais chances de vacinar todos os animais do domicílio, em relação àqueles com 0-8 anos de estudo. Conclusão Os resultados deste estudo apontam para a necessidade de políticas públicas que orientem a população sobre guarda responsável e que ofertem serviços de imunização.

Optimising rabies vaccination of dogs in India.

Dog vaccination is the key to controlling rabies in human populations. However, in countries like India, with large free-roaming dog populations, vaccination strategies that rely only on parenteral vaccines are unlikely to be either feasible or successful. Oral rabies vaccines could be used to reach these dogs. We use cost estimates for an Indian city and linear optimisation to find the most cost-effective vaccination strategies. We show that an oral bait handout method for dogs that are never confined can reduce the per dog costs of vaccination and increase vaccine coverage. This finding holds even when baits cost up to 10x the price of parenteral vaccines, if there is a large dog population or proportion of dogs that are never confined. We suggest that oral rabies vaccine baits will be part of the most cost-effective strategies to eliminate human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.

Sex-differential non-specific effects of adjuvanted and non-adjuvanted rabies vaccines versus placebo on all-cause mortality in dogs (NERVE-Dog study): a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial with a nested case–control study

BackgroundIt has been proposed that childhood vaccines in high-mortality populations may have substantial impacts on mortality rates that are not explained by the prevention of targeted diseases, nor conversely by typical expected adverse reactions to the vaccines, and that these non-specific effects (NSEs) are generally more pronounced in females. The existence of these effects, and any implications for the development of vaccines and the design of vaccination programs to enhance safety, remain controversial. One area of controversy is the reported association of non-live vaccines with increased female mortality. In a previous randomized controlled trial (RCT), we observed that non-live alum-adjuvanted animal rabies vaccine (ARV) was associated with increased female but not male mortality in young, free-roaming dogs. Conversely, non-live non-adjuvanted human rabies vaccine (NRV) has been associated with beneficial non-specific effects in children. Alum adjuvant has been shown to suppress Th1 responses to pathogens, leading us to hypothesize that alum-adjuvanted rabies vaccine in young dogs has a detrimental effect on female survival by modulating the immune response to infectious and/or parasitic diseases. In this paper, we present the protocol of a 3-arm RCT comparing the effect of alum-adjuvanted rabies vaccine, non-adjuvanted rabies vaccine and placebo on all-cause mortality in an owned, free-roaming dog population, with causal mediation analysis of the RCT and a nested case–control study to test this hypothesis.MethodsRandomised controlled trial with a nested case–control study.DiscussionWe expect that, among the placebo group, males will have higher mortality caused by higher pathogen loads and more severe disease, as determined by haematological parameters and inflammatory biomarkers. Among females, we expect that there will be no difference in mortality between the NRV and placebo groups, but that the ARV group will have higher mortality, again mediated by higher pathogen loads and more severe disease. We anticipate that these changes are preceded by shifts in key serum cytokine concentrations towards an anti-inflammatory immune response in females. If confirmed, these results will provide a rational basis for mitigation of detrimental NSEs of non-live vaccines in high-mortality populations.

Oral rabies vaccination of dogs-Experiences from a field trial in Namibia.

Dog-mediated rabies is responsible for tens of thousands of human deaths annually, and in resource-constrained settings, vaccinating dogs to control the disease at source remains challenging. Currently, rabies elimination efforts rely on mass dog vaccination by the parenteral route. To increase the herd immunity, free-roaming and stray dogs need to be specifically addressed in the vaccination campaigns, with oral rabies vaccination (ORV) of dogs being a possible solution. Using a third-generation vaccine and a standardized egg-flavoured bait, bait uptake and vaccination was assessed under field conditions in Namibia. During this trial, both veterinary staff as well as dog owners expressed their appreciation to this approach of vaccination. Of 1,115 dogs offered a bait, 90% (n = 1,006, 95%CI:91-94) consumed the bait and 72.9% (n = 813, 95%CI:70.2-75.4) of dogs were assessed as being vaccinated by direct observation, while for 11.7% (n = 130, 95%CI:9.9-17.7) the status was recorded as "unkown" and 15.4% (n = 172, 95%CI: 13.4-17.7) were considered as being not vaccinated. Smaller dogs and dogs offered a bait with multiple other dogs had significantly higher vaccination rates, while other factors, e.g. sex, confinement status and time had no influence. The favorable results of this first large-scale field trial further support the strategic integration of ORV into dog rabies control programmes. Given the acceptance of the egg-flavored bait under various settings worldwide, ORV of dogs could become a game-changer in countries, where control strategies using parenteral vaccination alone failed to reach sufficient vaccination coverage in the dog population.

Immune Response After Rabies Vaccination in Owned Free-Roaming Domestic Dogs in Flores Island, Indonesia.

Vaccination is the main tool to prevent the circulation of rabies in dog populations. The development of an immune response after vaccination differs between individual dogs and depends on many factors such as dog characteristics, management, or genetics. Here, we first investigated the level of, and associated factors for, the presence of binding antibodies in 130 healthy dogs from Flores Island, Indonesia. Secondly, we identified factors associated with the development of binding antibodies within 30 days after vaccination among a subsample of dogs that had a binding antibody titre <0.5 EU/ml at the day of vaccination (D0, N = 91). Blood samples were collected from the individual dogs immediately before vaccination at D0 and 30 days after vaccination (D30). The rabies antibody titres were determined using ELISAs. Information on potential risk factors such as the dog's age and sex, history of vaccination, type and frequency of feeding, and BCS (body condition score) were gathered during interviews at D0. Regression analyses were performed to identify the risk factors associated with the presence of binding antibody titre ≥0.5 EU/ml at D0 for the 130 dogs and the development of binding antibody titre ≥0.5EU/ml at D30 for the 91 dogs. The results showed that the proportion of dogs with antibody titre ≥0.5 EU/ml was 30% (39/130) at D0. The only factors found to be significantly influencing the presence of binding antibodies titres ≥0.5 EU/ml was previous vaccination within 1 year before D0 [46.8 vs. 14.7%, Odds ratio (OR) = 3.6, 95%CI 1.5–9.3; p-value = 0.006], although the same trend was found for dogs of higher age and better BCS. Eighty-six percent (79/91) of dogs whose rabies binding antibody level was <0.5 EU/ml at D0 had developed an adequate immune response (≥0.5 EU/ml) at D30. Almost a significantly higher proportion developed an adequate immune response in dogs of good BCS compared to those of poor BCS (95.3% vs. 79.2%, OR = 4.7, 95%CI 1.1–32.5; p-value = 0.057. Twelve (13.2%) dogs retain binding antibody level <0.5 EU/ml at D30, indicating poor immune response after vaccination. A majority of them did not receive vaccine before D0 according to the owner and had poor BCS (83.3%; 10/12). Our findings show the high effectiveness of rabies vaccine in under field conditions to develop measurable immunity and the importance of a good BCS, often achievable by good dog keeping conditions, for developing efficient immunity after parenteral vaccination in dogs.

VAKSINASI RABIES PADA ANJING OLEH PEMILIK DAN FAKTOR YANG BERHUBUNGAN SELAMA PANDEMI COVID-19 DI WILAYAH SANUR, DENPASAR

Rabies can be prevented and managed effectively through routine rabies vaccinations for dogs, with vaccination coverage reaching 70% to form herd immunity. The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic caused the implementation of rabies vaccination for dogs in The Sanur Region to experience limitations, resulting in a decrease in rabies vaccination coverage. The purpose of this study was to determine rabies vaccination in dogs by owners and related factors during the Covid-19 pandemic in the Sanur area, based on the Precede-Proceed Model theory by Lawrence Green. This study uses a quantitative analytical observational method with cross-sectional design. The study was conducted from March to May 2021, using primary data from 155 dog owners who live in The Sanur Region of Denpasar, and were selected based on proportional random sampling. Primary data collected from online questionnaires were analyzed in three stages, descriptive analysis, different proportion test (chi square), and logistic regression test. The results of the analysis using the chi square test and logistic regression showed that only three variables had a significant influence on the behavior of dog owners in giving rabies vaccinations for their dogs during the Covid-19 pandemic, namely education (OR=140.68;95%CI:10, 77-1837.64), income (OR=13.04;95%CI:2.98-57.06), and knowledge (OR=32.36;95%CI:9.43-111.08).&#x0D; Keywords: Rabies Vaccination, Dog Owner Behavior

"Using the same hand": The complex local perceptions of integrated one health based interventions in East Africa.

BackgroundNeglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) such as soil transmitted helminths (STH) and human rabies represent a significant burden to health in East Africa. Control and elimination remains extremely challenging, particularly in remote communities. Novel approaches, such as One Health based integrated interventions, are gaining prominence, yet there is more to be learned about the ways in which social determinants affect such programmes.MethodologyIn 2015 a mixed method qualitative study was conducted in northern Tanzania to determine community perceptions towards integrated delivery of two distinct healthcare interventions: treatment of children for STH and dog vaccination for rabies. In order to assess the effectiveness of the integrated approach, villages were randomly allocated to one of three intervention arms: i) Arm A received integrated mass drug administration (MDA) for STH and mass dog rabies vaccination (MDRV); ii) Arm B received MDA only; iii) Arm C received MDRV only.Principle findingsIntegrated interventions were looked upon favourably by communities with respondents in all arms stating that they were more likely to either get their dogs vaccinated if child deworming was delivered at the same time and vice versa. Participants appreciated integrated interventions, due to time and cost savings and increased access to essential health care. Analysis of qualitative data allowed deeper exploration of responses, revealing why people appreciated these benefits as well as constraints and barriers to participation in integrated programmes.Conclusions/significanceAn interdisciplinary One Health approach that incorporates qualitative social science can provide key insights into complex local perceptions for integrated health service delivery for STH and human rabies. This includes providing insights into how interventions can be improved while acknowledging and addressing critical issues around awareness, participation and underlying health disparities in remote pastoralist communities.

Using causal loop analysis to explore pathways for zoonosis control in low-income setting: The case of dog rabies vaccination in Burkina Faso

Dog vaccination is an effective pathway to control rabies if a minimum of 70% dog vaccination coverage is achieved. For more than six decades, dog vaccination has been adopted as part of the rabies control measures in Burkina Faso. However, the required vaccination coverage in canine population remains challenging and rabies endemic. This study describes the use of systems thinking to explore the dynamics arising from dog vaccination complexity and explain the possibles causes of low vaccination coverage in the dog population. In-depth interviews were conducted in three administrative regions and included various stakeholders. A thematic analysis was performed to analyze the obtained narratives. Subsequently, causal loop diagrams (CLDs) were developed, depicting the causes of low dog vaccination coverage. The CLDs were composed of reinforcing loops and balancing loops, visualizing how different variables including social, economic, technical, political and organizational factors that affect the implementation of rabies vaccination in the country are causally interrelated. Overall, the results revealed the importance of community awareness raising, strengthening the vaccination workforce, enhanced governance and leadership in the dynamics of dog vaccination. The study calls for wide consideration of all drivers and factors that may affect dog vaccination coverage, for the development of any rabies control strategy or vaccination program. Beyond the dog vaccination problem, the methods and findings from this study could be applied to other critical rabies-related questions such as postexposure prophylaxis, epidemiological surveillance, dog population management, laboratory diagnosis, and the One Health collaboration issues, to understand and improve rabies control.

Review of Oral Rabies Vaccination of Dogs and Its Application in India.

Oral rabies vaccines (ORVs) have been in use to successfully control rabies in wildlife since 1978 across Europe and the USA. This review focuses on the potential and need for the use of ORVs in free-roaming dogs to control dog-transmitted rabies in India. Iterative work to improve ORVs over the past four decades has resulted in vaccines that have high safety profiles whilst generating a consistent protective immune response to the rabies virus. The available evidence for safety and efficacy of modern ORVs in dogs and the broad and outspoken support from prominent global public health institutions for their use provides confidence to national authorities considering their use in rabies-endemic regions. India is estimated to have the largest rabies burden of any country and, whilst considerable progress has been made to increase access to human rabies prophylaxis, examples of high-output mass dog vaccination campaigns to eliminate the virus at the source remain limited. Efficiently accessing a large proportion of the dog population through parenteral methods is a considerable challenge due to the large, evasive stray dog population in many settings. Existing parenteral approaches require large skilled dog-catching teams to reach these dogs, which present financial, operational and logistical limitations to achieve 70% dog vaccination coverage in urban settings in a short duration. ORV presents the potential to accelerate the development of approaches to eliminate rabies across large areas of the South Asia region. Here we review the use of ORVs in wildlife and dogs, with specific consideration of the India setting. We also present the results of a risk analysis for a hypothetical campaign using ORV for the vaccination of dogs in an Indian state.

Rabies Vaccination in Dogs in Laos: Owner Knowledge and Serological Status of Dogs.

Rabies is an infectious disease which is virtually 100% fatal. Humans are most often infected through the bite of an infected dog, and most cases could be prevented by vaccinating dogs. However, vaccination coverage is insufficient in most countries where canine rabies occurs endemically. This study conducted interviews and sampling of dogs in Laos to understand more about the barriers for vaccination and to evaluate the antibody status of dogs using a commercial ELISA. The study found that only 62% out of 359 dog owners knew what rabies was, and only 24% knew the disease could be fatal. Higher education was associated with higher knowledge scores. Only 56 out of 437 (13%) dogs had been rabies vaccinated according to their owner, and out of these dogs, only 34 (61%) had antibodies, and only 48% had adequate levels (above 0.5 IU/mL). However, 24% of the dogs with no known history of vaccination had antibodies, indicating either exposure or vaccination in the past without the owner’s awareness. In conclusion, this study indicates that there is a low level of knowledge about rabies, and that owner knowledge is not a good indicator of whether a dog is vaccinated or not.