The human cost of rabies.

Vaccinate your dogs, cats and monkeys. When bitten seek medical attention.

RABIES : EXPLAINING IT TO KIDS.

 

Did you know that rabies kills one person every 9 minutes? Did you know that 59,000 people die of rabies worldwide every year? 

Did you know that almost half of the victims are children under 15 years of age? Did you know that vaccinating 70% of dog population in an area breaks the dog-human cycle of rabies,thus eliminating rabies in such areas? 

Did you know that vaccination of your dogs,cats and monkeys is a sure way to eliminate rabies? Did you know that the fastest way to change a paradigm or introduce a concept that targets kids is by gamifying the concept or creating songs that are interactive?

 Did you also know that creating awareness on public health issues can also be accomplished by creating stories, posters, coloring books for kids e.t.c?

 Use this to teach in schools and communities while gamifying rabies for better explanation.

Rabies: The devastating effect of rabies.

 

Rabies though fatal is 100% preventable. Vaccinate your dogs, cats and monkeys.

 Learn what to do when bitten by a dog.

I was bitten by a feral dog while overseas. My search for rabies shots was a terrifying ordeal.

 

I was bitten by a feral dog while overseas. My search for rabies shots was a terrifying ordeal. Sharing this story, though quite lengthy but very informative. 

The take aways from the story: 1) Do not make assumptions about bites. 2) wash bite site with soap and water ,clean area with antiseptic solution then seek medical attention immediately. 

 I’d seen the gaunt canine milling around, but feral dogs seemed to congregate on every corner in India, so one more roaming the grounds of Amritsar’s Partition Museum didn’t garner any special attention. By the time I realized the dog was about to bite me, it was too late. 

 At least not until it sunk its incisors into my knee, leaving two bloody puncture marks. It could have been worse, but in a country where rabies kills thousands of people each year, it could have been so much better. 

 According to the World Health Organization, 36 percent of all rabies deaths occur in India. And while any mammal can transmit the rabies virus, 99 percent of all human cases result from contact with an infected dog. And travelers are not immune. 

In 2018, a British man died after contracting rabies after being bitten by an asymptomatic cat in Morocco. This year, a 24-year-old Norwegian woman died after attempting to rescue a puppy in the Philippines that bit her. In 2017, a Virginia woman succumbed to rabies after a dog bite in India. She rescued a puppy during her vacation. 

The dog’s bite proved deadly. Instinctively, after being bitten, I slathered my knee in hand sanitizer as locals in the northwestern India city directed my partner and me to a small lean-to with a faded red cross painted on it.

RABIES: a neglected disease that perpetuates poverty.

 RABIES: a neglected disease that perpetuates poverty.

Rabies is recognized as one of 20 Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) by the World Health Organization.

Although rabies is found on every continent, except Antarctica and some islands, it is well controlled or even eliminated in most developed countries. Today over 95% of human victims are from Africa and Asia, most from marginalized and impoverished rural communities. 

 Rabies is a preventable disease that overwhelmingly afflicts the poor, both in terms of its death toll and the associated financial burden. Annual economic losses because of the disease are around 8.6 billion US dollars, mostly due to premature deaths, but also because of spending on human vaccines, lost income for victims of animal bites, and other costs. 

 With a survival rate of less than 0.1%, those exposed to the virus face a stark choice: go in search of a series of vaccines and immunoglobulin that prevent the onset of the disease (post-exposure prophylaxis, PEP) or die. In some cases, PEP costs more than the monthly household income, and families are known to either go into debt to pay for PEP, or sell livestock on which they depend for income; both are options that negatively affect families’ future prospects. Rabies can destroy families literally (through death), emotionally, and financially – making it a truly horrific disease.

   Rabies survivor !!!

Mission rabies : surveillance is a key strategy for zero by 30

 Surveillance is a key part of our work to protect at-risk communities now, and in the future. This means manning 24-hour emergency hotlines, deploying rabies response teams, and setting up what we call Integrated Bite Case Management (IBCM).

This is an intensive surveillance technique whereby our officers actively seek out cases where a human has been bitten by a dog. Instead of waiting for people to report dogs showing signs of rabies, the officers screen cases in hospitals to find the ones most likely to be from rabid animals.

In one month alone, Lyson one of our IBCM officers in Malawi, investigated 12 cases across three districts, seven of which turned out to be rabid animals. One case, in particular, will stay in Lyson's mind for a long time and highlights the direct impact made by our IBCM work.

Lyson was called out to investigate the case of an aggressive dog which had been killed. The postmortem test result confirmed the suspicion that the animal was in fact rabid. While doing contact tracing, Lyson came across a lady who got bitten on her leg and hand by this dog the previous day. Unaware of the risk of rabies or the need for post-exposure vaccinations, she had not sought treatment. After Lyson clearly explained the deadly risks and how she could protect herself, the woman went to the district hospital to receive all five vaccinations.

Two months later, Lyson visited the woman and found her in good health. She was very grateful for the advice she received that day and is aware that this information very likely saved her life. She also promised that she will spread the word about Mission Rabies and our key messages in her village, especially to children, so they all know the crucial steps to take if they are bitten by a dog.

Vaccination increases family wealth, girls' education.

Vaccination increases family wealth, girls' education.A Washington State University-led research team found households in rural Africa that vaccinate their cattle for East Coast fever increased their income and spent the additional money on food and education. Researchers also found that when fewer cattle died from the fever, girls were more likely to attend secondary school. "When households vaccinate, it increases their wealth and income and sets them on a trajectory to provide education for their children," said lead author Tom Marsh, professor in WSU's School of Economic Sciences and the Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health. "Vaccinating is a way for households to pull themselves out of poverty.

Wildlife at risk around the globe because of threat of canine distemper.

Wildlife at risk around the globe because of threat of canine distemper and scientists say vaccinating endangered carnivores of increasing importance.Experts from around the world focused on the threat that canine distemper virus poses to the conservation of increasingly fragmented populations of threatened carnivores. The canine distemper has been known for many years as a problem affecting domestic dogs, the virus has been appearing in new areas and causing disease and mortality in a wide range of wildlife species, including tigers and lions. In fact, many experts agree that the virus should not be called “canine distemper” virus at all, given the diversity of species it infects. The previous attempts to manage the risk of infectious disease to wild carnivore conservation have mostly focused on vaccination of domestic dogs. While this approach benefits the dogs themselves (and in the case of rabies, can be crucial to protecting local people), it often fails to prevent infections in threatened species that share their environment. This seems to be due to the presence of abundant, small-bodied wild carnivores that act as an alternative reservoir of infection. Wildlife at risk around the globe because of threat of canine distemper.

The new canine rabies research: One vaccine to save them all.

The new canine rabies research: One vaccine to save them all.A new study finds that rabies vaccines may have a protective effect beyond just the dreaded deadly virus in dogs. Canine rabies is common in many parts of the world. In Asia and Africa, rabies from dog bites kills more than 50,000 people each year. Large international efforts are dedicated to this public health crisis, including mass rabies vaccination of dogs. A recent publication suggests the canine rabies vaccine may have additional benefits to dog health beyond protection from rabies. That’s right—vaccinate for rabies, get rabies protection PLUS additional dog health benefits.

The study followed 2,500 households in South Africa over four years and found that dogs vaccinated for rabies had a reduced risk of canine death from any cause as compared to dogs not vaccinated for rabies. The greatest reduction was noted in very young dogs with a 56% reduced risk of death. This decrease in canine mortality was not explained by a reduction in deaths due to rabies alone. The researchers proposed that rabies vaccination boosted the immune system and may have provided enhanced defense against other diseases unrelated to rabies. Previous studies have similarly identified this nonspecific protective effect by rabies vaccination in children and animals, providing further support for the research team’s current findings.

Hungry kids treated for rabies after digging up dog corpses to eat.

Starving youngsters dug up bodies with their bare hands and ate them with rice.

DESPERATE children are being treated for rabies after digging up the corpses of dead dogs and EATING them.

The group of 13 starving kids clawed with their bare hands to get at the rotting animals, who had been put down after being suspected of carrying the disease. 

 They set up a camp fire to cook the corpses and ate them with rice in the poverty stricken Mukdaharn region of north-east Thailand.They quickly fell ill and were rushed to hospital after locals spotted what they were eating. Animal welfare worker Chon Chaiprasit said: ”It’s a terrible situation. Nobody would have expected the youngsters to eat the dead animals. ”The dogs had rabies so they are currently having vaccinations.

”Dog meat is commonly eaten in poorer rural regions of south-east Asia.It is common for dogs to be farmed for food and even skinned alive in Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. On Monday dogs were rounded up and beheaded after reports they were rabidly biting each other. 

 While their heads were taken for testing, their bodies were buried in woodland in Khok Sung.Hours later the group of starving children dug up the corpses.Tests on the animals confirmed they had rabies, sparking fears the children would be infected. They were given emergency vaccines while vets set out to give jabs to stray dogs within a two-mile radius in an attempt to avoid the disease spreading. 

Chon added: “There hasn’t been any explanation yet as to why the youngsters ate the dogs but we believe it is because they were hungry and needed food. “They are being treated and we are working hard to contain the outbreak.” Village elder Withaya Thongmaha, 53, said: “Lots of dogs were biting each other and we worried they may have rabies so we called for help.“I heard that at least ten youths had dug up the corpses and eaten the dogs for food.” more

Rabies detected in a chicken in India.

All mammals are susceptible to rabies. Raccoons, skunks, foxes, bats, dogs, coyotes and cats are the likely suspects. Animals like otters and ferrets are also high risk. 

Mammals like rabbits, squirrels, rodents and opossums are rarely infected and no mention of birds until recently. Indian researchers have reported the first case of rabies in a domestic fowl, a chicken, in the country, according to a study published in the journal, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

The chicken (Gallus domesticus), was bitten by a stray dog and died a month later. It’s carcass was sent to the rabies diagnostic laboratory. The brain tissue was positive for rabies viral antigens by fluorescent antibody test (FAT) confirming a diagnosis of rabies. Additional analysis revealed that the rabies virus strain from the domestic fowl belonged to a distinct and relatively rare Indian subcontinent lineage. 

 The authors say the significance of this finding indicates that spill over of infection even to an unusual host is possible in highly endemic areas. In addition, butchering and handling of rabies virus- infected poultry may pose a potential exposure risk. 

 Researchers conclude the present report indicates that rabies is a disease that can affect birds. Lack of obvious clinical signs and fewer opportunities for diagnostic laboratory testing of suspected rabies in a bird, may be the reason for the disease in these species being undiagnosed and probably underestimated.continue

World rabies day in Lagos.

The world rabies day celebrated on the 28/September every year, this year's celebration was marked with public lectures, free vaccination exercises and awareness campaign around the state. The event this year was different because of the collaboration with medical officers from hospitals and primary health centers ,school children and youth corp members. 

 The participation of various local government officials,environmental health workers and various local council development areas,emphasized the importance of awareness campaign from bottom up. The day marked with lectures by some veterinarians and medical officers and free vaccination is shown in pics below;

Parvo virus outbreak.

20 dogs have been put down in San Juan County because of a serious outbreak of the highly contagious virus. Some puppies from the Farmington Regional Animal Shelter contracted canine parvovirus after they were adopted and others at the shelter tested positive for the virus. The shelter made the decision to end all puppy adoptions for the next 14 days so as to quarantine the puppies and make sure they aren't sick,” said Stacie Voss, Director of the FRAS. The parvovirus is dangerous to puppies and tough to get rid of, but there is one way you can protect your pets. “The best thing you can do is vaccinate your puppies to keep them safe and not allow them to interact with unvaccinated dogs until they are fully vaccinated,” she said. Puppies at FRAS are being watched for signs of the virus. In the meantime, the shelter is receiving between 30 and 40 animals a day and already has more than 300 housed. FRAS is having an adoption sale. All adult animals aged 6 months and up will have an adoption fee of only $25. Kittens under 6 months of age will have an adoption fee of $50 and are two for the price of one. Adoption fees includes spay or neuter surgery, microchiping, at least one set of vaccinations (excluding rabies), and a 30-day trial of pet insurance. Vaccination is the only way to protect the dogs from this infection,puppies should be handled properly to prevent infection. Contributed by KOB 4 EYE WITNESS NEWS.

COMMON REASONS FOR VACCINATION FAILURE.

The success of the venture depends on following strict health protocols that are wrapped around simple but effective bio security strategy. The health protocol involves vaccinations coupled with medications when needed. Vaccination refers to a method of disease prevention in healthy animals by challenging the animal with an attenuated/killed agent of a disease so as to elicit the production of antibodies. When vaccinations are done properly and immunity conferred,the animal is said to have been immunized against such causative agents of disease.Vaccination though stimulates antibodies production to protect the animals ,but if not done properly ;the desired immunity will not be conferred.When immunity is not conferred,2 major causes are fingered.These are vaccine failure or vaccine break. When immunity is not conferred due to vaccine break,the following are causes; 1)when the cold chain is broken; usually from point of sale to area you need them.The vaccines are to be transported in coolers with enough ice packs for the trip.The potency of the vaccines cant be guaranteed when this occurs,and when used the required immunity is not conferred. 2) when using inappropriate dilution and concentration; this nullifies any effect the vaccine should have on the birds. 3)when expired vaccines are used,definitely no immunity can be conferred. While vaccine failure could occur in any of the following scenarios;1)using inappropriate dose; under/overdosing will not elicit any antibody reaction. 2)wrong dilution/route. 3)vaccination of sick birds. 4)stress on birds during handling especially in hot weather. 5)Use of chemicals along side the vaccines especially water purification solutions. 6)vaccinating birds when signs of diseases are visible in flock. Vaccinations though very essential, if not properly carried out will just be a waste of resources. When planning to vaccinate keep it simple,follow these guidelines; 1)place vaccine in ice pack. 2)engage qualified personnel. 3) use vaccine as directed by manufacturers.

NEWCASTLE DISEASE OUTBREAK

The National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority of Romania reported to the OIE on April 4 that the Newcastle disease situation in the country has been resolved. There was only one confirmed case in Romania, as a layer flock of 1,582 hens in Bucov, Prahova, Romania, was infected in November 2015. A total of 510 hens died, while the remaining 1,070 birds were destroyed. Movement control, zoning, screening and surveillance activities followed. The property was disinfected, animal products were destroyed and all carcasses, by-products and waste was properly disposed and source of infection was never determined. During the first two months of 2014, The Botswana Ministry of Agriculture notified the OIE of five cases of Newcastle disease, all of which occurred in the eastern half of the country. Three of those cases were in backyard poultry flocks. In total, 42,315 birds were susceptible, 3,966 were confirmed to have the disease, and 1,049 birds died. Contact with wild birds was believed to have been a cause for some of the infections. On March 30, the Ministry of Agriculture determined the Botswana Newcastle disease outbreak to be resolved, and notified the OIE on April 5. It has also been reported in Bulgaria, Bulgaria is just one of several countries that are dealing with Newcastle disease. The OIE states that, Israel has had seven outbreaks of the disease in recent months, affecting as many as 19,400 birds. The Philippines is also struggling with Newcastle disease, as the country’s Department of Agriculture is urging poultry owners to vaccinate their flocks amid the deaths of 41,000 birds. source;WattAgNet.com

Man faces rabies risk after monkey bites in Bali .

A man who is getting rabies shots after a monkey bit him on the head in Bali has warned travellers against going near the creatures.Anthony Wallace, of East Gosford, was on a seven-day holiday with girlfriend Libby McManus when he was bitten at Ubud Monkey Forest. After the bite happened, Mr Wallace went to a first-aid centre at the monkey forest.

A Balinese doctor cleaned the wounds with salty water and antiseptic and administered a tetanus shot. He said the monkeys get tested for rabies once a year by an Australian doctor and the monkeys don't have rabies, but it was up to me if I wanted a rabies shot," Mr Wallace said. Mr Wallace, 46, sought advice from a Central Coast doctor when he returned home. 

"The doctor told him "if you get rabies you will die". Medical records showed rabies was almost always fatal after neurological symptoms had appeared.However, vaccination could prevent the disease even after exposure.Mr Wallace decided to undergo treatment, which included an immunoglobulin injection into the bite wounds."I had four injections into my scalp," he said."The right side of my head was puffed up like a balloon." 

 Additionally, Mr Wallace must have four shots of rabies vaccine over two weeks. Mr Wallace said the experience was "not something you'd like to see others go through".He and his girlfriend took precautions when visiting the monkeys, but had not realized the extent of the dangers they posed. They didn't take a backpack, sunglasses or hats to ensure the monkeys had nothing to grab."They had signs saying 'don't stare at or tease the monkeys'," Mr Wallace said. A lady was selling bunches of bananas to feed the monkeys, which they agreed to do.

"One of the big monkeys jumped on my shoulder – I thought that was pretty cool," he said."I gave the monkey the banana and it started to eat it." He didn't touch or provoke the monkey."Something dropped on my pants, I looked down and the monkey kind of freaked out." It dropped the banana, wrapped its arm around his eyes and took "a couple of big bites of my head", jumped off and ran away. 

Australia's smartraveller website strongly advised people to "avoid direct contact" with monkeys, dogs and other mammals in Indonesia because of rabies risk. BA World Health Organisation fact sheet said rabies infection "causes tens of thousands of deaths every year, mostly in Asia and Africa". 

 Rabies is a vaccine-preventable viral disease which occurs in more than 150 countries and territories. Dogs were the source of most human deaths from rabies. The disease was present "on all continents", except Antarctica. More than 15 million people a year receive a post-bite vaccination. Culled from Newcastle Herald.

PORCINE EPIDEMIC DIARRHOEA.

Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea virus (PEDv) is devastating in herds especially in Asia and North America although the recent outbreaks of PEDv-like strains in Europe appear less destructive. Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea (PED) is an economically important enteric disease in pigs caused by a Corona virus. Corona viruses can be divided into the genera Alpha corona virus, Beta corona virus, Gammacoronavirus and Deltacoronavirus. The Alpha corona viruses including Transmissible Gastroenteritis virus (TGEv), Porcine Respiratory Coronavirus (PRCv) and Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea virus (PEDv) are the most important in swine. While TGEv and PRCv belong to the Alpha corona virus 1 species, PEDv belongs to a separate species within the same genus. The Beta corona viruses induce severe diseases in humans like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-Cov) or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-Cov), the Beta corona virus affecting pigs called Hemagglutinating Encephalomyelitis virus (HEv) is of minor importance for the swine industry. The Delta corona virus infections (porcine Delta corona virus, PDCov) were reported in pigs in Asia and North America which caused enteric diseases similar to PEDv but of lower clinical impact and disease severity. PED first appeared as acute diarrhoea in finishing pigs in the early 1970s in the UK and subsequently spread fast across Europe causing acute outbreaks of diarrhoea in pigs of all age groups. The routes of PEDv transmission between different areas, countries and even continents remain poorly understood. The origin of recently identified PEDv strains in Europe showing high nucleotide similarity to US S-INDEL PEDv strains remains unclear. It is not known if those strains have been circulating in the European pig population for a long time or if they were recently introduced into Europe. The various methods to applied so far to control PED virus on farms, include the following 1) Increasing sow immunity can be achieved by giving feedback. This usually involves feeding intestines or diarrheic faces from acutely infected piglets to sows to convey immunity. Different protocols are followed; no additives should be added. 2) Weaning down is also a much applied strategy – this means weaning at about ten days of age. 3)Improving biosecurity. 4)Applying strict disinfection, e.g. using Synergize, Virkon S. 5)Vaccinating. There are two inactivated vaccines available. The best success is usually achieved in pre-infected herds.

San Diego Zoo flamingos recently had annual physicals.

According to San Diego(CBS8) the zoo flamingos received their annual physicals.A group of nearly 100 Caribbean flamingos were corralled into a holding area near the Flamingo Lagoon Wednesday morning. From there, they each underwent a health exam, featuring a west Nile vaccination and physical inspection. The birds have been front and center at the zoo for more than 50 years.

BIOTECH AND PRRSV RESISTANT PIGS.

A research involving scientists have bred Pigs resistant to a PRRSV, Using CRISPR ;(CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing method—to breed pigs resistant to infection). Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) emerged in the 1980s, and the syndrome now afflicts these hoofed animals worldwide, causing illness, death and miscarriage. It has been designated the most economically significant disease for swine, costing livestock producers in North America $600 million annually from deaths and medical treatments. Vaccinations have mostly failed to prevent the syndrome's spread, but a new approach by biologists at the University of Missouri may mark a turning point. They are one of the first teams to develop a commercial agricultural application for the revolutionary CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing method—to breed pigs resistant to infection. CRISPR/Cas9 is a gene-manipulation tool that allows scientists to make changes to DNA with razor-sharp accuracy. The tool has generated excitement in the research community because it allows rapid modification of gene function, replacing older and less efficient methods. For porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, Missouri's Randall Prather, Kristen Whitworth and Kevin Wells turned to the technique to breed three piglets that lacked a protein on cells that acts as a doorway for the virus. The edited piglets were grouped together in a pen with seven normal piglets, and then they all were inoculated with PRRSV. About five days later the normal pigs grew feverish and ill, but the genetically edited pigs did not. Despite sharing close quarters with their sick pen mates, they remained in top health throughout the 35-day study period. Blood testing also revealed that the edited animals did not produce antibodies against the virus—further evidence that they evaded infection entirely. “I expected the pigs would get the virus but not get as sick,” Prather says. “But it is just night and day. The pigs are running around with the other pigs coughing on them, but they are just fine.” This work and other recent experiments demonstrate the promise of CRISPR/Cas9 for the care of domestic animals. Late last year geneticists at the University of California, Davis, employed the new technique to breed dairy cows that do not grow horns. The study is published in the Nature Biotechnology.

Guidance relaxes requirements for pets with lapsed rabies vaccine.

Cats and dogs with out-of-date vaccinations when exposed to rabies can receive a booster and be subject to an observation period, rather than quarantine or euthanasia, according to the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians in the 2016 edition of the Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control. The change follows a paper in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association that found that dogs whose vaccination status had lapsed demonstrated an adequate antibody response to support the change. Veterinarian Catherine Brown said the guidance does not mitigate the need to keep current on vaccination. Full Story: JAVMA News