Dogs as vectors of rabies

While rabies is considered a relatively rare disease in developed countries, in much of the developing world it remains a serious health issue for humans. Two recent papers deal with dogs as vectors of rabies to humans.

Electron micrograph of the Rabies Virus. This electron 

micrograph shows the rabies virus - the small gray 

bodies, as well as Negri bodies, or cellular inclusions. 

CDC/Dr. Fred Murphy.

Aréchiga Ceballos et al. (2014) report that over 90% of human deaths from rabies worldwide are caused by dog bites. Mass vaccination, along with the effective control of dog populations, has been used successfully in industrialized countries to control this disease. However, a lower success rate in developing countries is due to a number of factors, including vaccination campaigns that do not cover a sufficient number of animals or reach all communities, and a wide biodiversity that increases the number of reservoirs of the rabies virus. Educational programs are needed, which focus on the commitment involved when acquiring a domestic animal, stating clearly what is required to provide it with a good quality of life. New technologies developed in the industrialized world will not always be successful in less developed countries. Approaches must be adapted to the particular conditions in each country, taking cultural and socio-economic issues into account. Authorities must promote research on dog population dynamics, the development of non-invasive methods to control dog populations and the most efficient, stable and low-cost options for vaccination. Under the One Health model, it is hoped that dog-transmitted human rabies will be accorded high priority as a zoonosis by human health authorities, international authorities and donor agencies to support ambitious eradication goals, particularly those being set in South-East Asia. Well-designed and adequately resourced vaccination programs, based on the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) guidelines, will have significant animal welfare benefits, due to the availability of improved vaccines (in terms of efficacy, duration of immunity, ease of administration and lower cost), advances in dog population management and the more widespread implementation of the OIE Guidelines on stray Dog Control. Animal welfare benefits include not only the elimination of pain and suffering caused by the clinical disease itself, but also the avoidance of the indirect impact of inhumane culling when methods are used that have not been approved by the OIE.

In a second, recent paper on dogs and rabies Ajoke et al. (2014)  review the risk factors associated with dog trading and slaughtering dogs for food in the transmission of rabies in Nigeria. Emphasis on the potential role that the butchers play in rabies transmission and their susceptibility to rabies through contact with infectious meat samples and materials is also discussed. Dog meat has become a delicacy in many parts of Nigeria. It is eaten for various reasons including medicinal values, source of protein, and in rituals. Dogs are transported to the slaughter-houses for processing and they may have multiple origins. The rabies virus has been confirmed in apparently healthy dogs to be slaughtered showing that butchers are at risk, especially in Nigeria, where the butchers neither wear protective gear nor have they been vaccinated against rabies. The authors recommend regular vaccination for butchers and dogs. They conclude that dog trading, slaughtering and consumption probably play a major role in the epidemiology of rabies from dogs to humans in Nigeria.

Citation
Ajoke E., Solomon A, and Ikhide E. 2014. The role of dog trading and slaughter for meat in rabies epidemiology with special reference to Nigeria - a review. Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences, 2:130-136.

Aréchiga Ceballos N, Karunaratna D, Aguilar Setién 2014. Control of canine rabies in developing countries: key features and animal welfare implications. A Revue Scientifique et Technique (International Office of Epizootics)  33:311-321