Veterinary medicine: Eliminating rabies with mobile apps.

A study has shown that rabies could be eliminated with the use of a mobile app,the study was published in the journal BMC Infectious Diseases. This study shows that mobile technology can help to monitor the efforts of large scale vaccination of free roaming dogs in real time thus allowing the identification of areas where vaccination needs to be increased to meet the 70 per cent threshold and cut the risk of the disease being passed to people.

 Researchers are using the app to track free-roaming dogs that have been vaccinated against rabies. Monitoring them in this way has enabled vets to vaccinate 70 per cent of the dog population in the City of Ranchi -- the threshold needed to minimize the risk that the disease is passed to people. 

 Rabies is a global problem that leads to the suffering and premature deaths of over 50,000 people and many times more dogs each year. 

 The disease has been eliminated from many countries through mass vaccination of the dog population. However, rabies elimination remains challenging in countries where the majority of dogs are allowed to roam freely.

Previous research has shown that vaccinating just 70 per cent of the dog population is enough to cut the risk of rabies infections in people. Teams vaccinated more than 6000 dogs in 18 districts of the city of Ranchi, India. They surveyed the number of marked, vaccinated and unmarked, unvaccinated dogs to monitor the proportion of animals that had received the vaccine. 

 The smartphone app called the Mission Rabies app was developed for researchers to instantly upload information about the animals vaccinated, including their exact location. In areas where coverage fell below 70 per cent, catching teams were re-deployed to vaccinate more dogs until the target was achieved.

The economic impact of rabies.

A global study on canine rabies has found that 160 people die every single day from the disease. The report is the first study to consider the impact in terms of deaths and the economic costs of rabies across all countries. Even though the disease is preventable, the study says that around 59,000 people die every year of rabies transmitted by dog and the disease costs global economies $8.6 billion US. 

 The multi-author study, by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control's Partners for Rabies Prevention Group, also shows that 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. 

 The study led by Dr Katie Hampson of the University of Glasgow, the study is the first to estimate the impact of canine rabies and the extent of control efforts in every country in the world. Rabies is close to 100% fatal, but it is also almost 100% preventable, and the best, most cost-effective way of preventing canine rabies is by vaccinating dogs. 

This needs to be supplemented by improving access to human vaccines. The One Health approach to eliminating rabies deaths, with collaboration between the human and animal health sectors, can save many lives and significantly reduce the burden on vulnerable economies. Indeed, the countries that have invested most in dog vaccination are the ones where human deaths from the disease have been virtually eliminated. The scope of the data used were from surveillance reports, epidemiological study data and global vaccine sales figures. 

This scope is far greater than ever analysed before, thus allowing fora more detailed result.The study also emphasizes that reporting systems are fundamental to rabies elimination, to monitor and assess the success of prevention efforts. 

 The study shows that the greatest risk of canine rabies is in the poorest countries; the death rate (deaths / 100,000 people) is highest in countries in sub-Saharan Africa, while India has the highest number of fatalities, with over 20,000 human deaths annually. The proportion of dogs vaccinated is far below that necessary to control the disease across almost all countries of Africa and Asia.

Prevention strategies for rabies in Northern China.

A study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases reports on ongoing transmission of rabies in Northwestern China, highlighting challenges and opportunities pertinent to the elimination efforts. China has the second highest number of reported rabies cases in the world, but numbers of human deaths have been decreasing. According to WHO, the Chinese authorities are forecasting national rabies elimination by 2025. Most of the cases are reported from the country's Southeastern provinces. Rong-Liang Hu, from the Academy of Military Medical Sciences in Changchun, China, and colleagues report that while overall human fatalities are decreasing, the rabies epidemic is still geographically expanding, with new cases having been recorded in previously rabies-free and low incidence provinces in the North of China. The control of rabies in domestic animals, use the only type of vaccine available in China which is canine inactivated vaccine and this must be administered by intramuscular injection. This vaccine is rarely used to immunize large domestic animals. Consequently, there is little evidence on vaccination dosing and scheduling, or on resulting protective immunity. To test the canine vaccine in large domestic animals, the researchers studied an emergency vaccination to protect 300 adult cattle and 330 adult camels following a local outbreak. The animals were randomly divided into 9 groups and immunized intramuscularly with a single injection containing one, two, or three doses of canine inactivated vaccine. The researchers collected and analyzed blood samples from 45 randomly selected cows and 30 camels before and 3, 6 , 9, and 12 months after vaccination. The researchers observed a difference in antibody titers (correlates of a protective immune response) between animals that received only one dose and those that received two or three doses. After one year, all animals that received two or three doses had antibody titers high enough to indicate that they were protected. This suggests that two doses of canine vaccine might protect cattle and camels for up to a year, but licensed vaccines for large domestic animals are necessary for use in pasture farms in China. Wild foxes and domestic animals should be considered for pre-exposure vaccination, not only to avoid financial losses or protection of wild animals, but because of their potential threat to human health.

Zika virus may persist in eyes and disease may spread from infected eyes.

A new study shows that Zika virus is capable of infecting the eye. The study which was in mice, helps explain why some people with Zika virus develop eye disease, and suggests that contact with infected eyes may play a role in spreading the disease. The study, published Sept. 6 in Cell Reports, describes the effect of Zika virus infection in the eyes of mouse fetuses, newborns and adults. The researchers now are planning complementary studies in human patients infected with the virus. This visual abstract the findings of Miner et al., who describe how ZIKV infection in the eye results in inflammation and injury. ZIKV infected the iris, cornea, retina, and optic nerve and caused conjunctivitis, panuveitis, and neuroretinitis in mice. This manuscript establishes a model for evaluating treatments for ZIKV infections in the eye.(Credit: Miner et al./Cell Reports 2016) Researchers have found that Zika virus can live in eyes and have identified genetic material from the virus in tears, according to a study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The study, in mice, helps explain why some Zika patients develop eye disease including a condition known as uveitis which can lead to permanent vision loss. Zika virus causes mild disease in most adults but can cause brain damage and death in fetuses. About a third of all babies infected in utero with Zika show eye disease such as inflammation of the optic nerve, retinal damage or blindness after birth. In adults, Zika can cause conjunctivitis -- redness and itchiness of the eyes -- and, in rare cases, uveitis. To determine what effect Zika infection has on the eye, the researchers infected adult mice under the skin -- similar to the way humans are infected by mosquitoes -- and found live virus in the eyes seven days later. These observations confirm that Zika is able to travel to the eye. It is not yet known whether the virus typically makes that trip by crossing the blood-retina barrier that separates the eye from the bloodstream, traveling along the optic nerve that connects the brain and the eye, or some other route. Eye infection raises the possibility that people could acquire Zika infection through contact with tears from infected people. The researchers found that the tears of infected mice contained Zika's RNA -- the genetic material from the virus -- but not infectious virus when tested 28 days after infection. Although the live virus was not observed in mouse tears, that doesn't mean that it couldn't be infectious in humans, according to Jonathan J. Miner, MD, PhD, an instructor in medicine and the study's lead author. There could actually be a window of time when tears are highly infectious and people are coming in contact with it can spread it. The eye is an immune privileged site, meaning the immune system is less active there, to avoid accidentally damaging sensitive tissues responsible for vision in the process of fighting infection. Consequently, infections sometimes persist in the eye after they have been cleared from the rest of the body.

The impact of a dog-friendly office on staff productivity and well being..

A research suggests that a dog-friendly office could have a real impact on employee well-being and productivity, and it’s no wonder more companies are welcoming furry friends into the workplace. Virginia Commonwealth University Center for Human-Animal Interaction found that having dogs around the office produced a wide array of benefits for both pet owners and their pet-less co-workers.The study, which was published in a 2012 edition of International Journal of Workplace Health Management, examined Replacements Ltd., a manufacturing services company in Greensboro, N.C,where several dozen dogs are present on a typical day. The study found that employees who brought their dogs to work experienced significantly lower stress levels during the workday and that a sizable portion of pet-free co-workers viewed the dogs’ presence as having a positive impact on their productivity as well.Further studies also support the notion that pets are natural stress relievers. These results were consistent across a wide range of departments, from traditional white-collar fields such as sales and marketing to blue-collar sectors such as manufacturing. Exposure to dogs could also increase the release of the hormone oxytocin, new research suggests. Although oxytocin is best known for its role in human and animal bonding, it has a wide range of effects related to overall health, sociability, trust, and how we generally get along. “With so much of our work depending on team dynamics and interactions in the workplace, these effects can be critical for well-being and productivity. Animals reduce activity in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which is our primary stress response system,” said Evan MacLean, Ph.D., an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Arizona who studies the relationship between humans and dogs. Stress has a wide range of negative effects on cognition, mood, and our interpersonal interactions. Keeping this system in check is critical for keeping us in the best shape to be creative, interactive, and productive.continue

Handling aging in pets with wellness checks and examination.

Pets are living longer than ever now because of quality medical care, improved and tailored diets, coupled with exercise and wellness examination. A school of thought also believes that the reason more pets are living longer is hinged on spaying and neutering. A 2013 study by Banfield Pet Hospital showed that neutered male dogs live 18 percent longer than non-neutered male dogs, and spayed female dogs live 23 percent longer than intact female dogs. Aging in cats and dogs age is more rapid than humans, and so diseases also progress more quickly. The early detection of diseases in pets is the key to successful treatment of illness of your pets. Regular wellness/checkup exams, vaccinations, heartworm and Lyme disease prevention, and de-worming should all be part of your pet's care . Pets will have a better quality of life with routine checkups and examinations. The pet's wellness exam,include the following; blood work and urine analysis to detect conditions like liver and kidney disease, diabetes, and heartworm infections. The veterinarian will also interact with and observe your pet by checking its eyes, ears, nose, mouth and teeth, coat, skin, and paws. A wellness visit also provides the pet owner with an opportunity to ask relevant questions about their pet's care protocols or any observed behavior or signs. The examination entains more than vaccination or grooming, it is an opportunity for the vet to fully examine your pet and suggest changes in diet,comment /advise on age-specific conditions that might be apparent, and to explain preventive protocols. The major reason for checkups is the fact that a vet can detect illness and disease that a pet owner may inadvertently overlook. Pet owners should not wait for these animals to be sick before they schedule a wellness examination. The frequency of the visit will depend on the health status of your pet, age and advice of the vet.

Pet surveillance using pet wearables .

Owning a dog comes with responsibilities aside from health and wellness,behavioral patterns need to be monitored and corrected where adjustments are indicated. Wondering how to check up on your pets when out of your zone? then read on... There are pet apps and devices that allow you to keep tabs on your pets ,monitor and even interact virtually when you are out of the house. Whistle, is one of such devices and according to the website, the device uses a combination of GPS tracking and pet wellness in one band. When attached to a dogs collar, it connects to a smartphone app that allows tracking and evaluation of the dogs exercise, play and rest in real time. Whistle is part of the ever growing pet wearable market that is changing the paradigm in pet health and wellness. Pet wearable devices enable surveillance and tracking through devices such as Pod 2, Buddy, WÜF and Nuzzle; monitoring of heart-rate and sleep patterns (Inupathy, PetPace) and may feature geofencing capability and virtual boundary alert systems that let owners know when their pet wanders too far (eg DogTelligent). Pet wearables and monitoring systems are also implicated in an ethics of care and surveillance. They originate from a genealogy of care that engages paradoxical notions of constraint and guardianship. Indeed, our relationship with domestic animals is often fraught with ambiguity; pets are both nature and culture, instinctual and social, controlled yet nurtured, at the same time possessions and companions. Pet owners can "gamify" their pet's exercise with a reward system and leaderboard that ranks their results compared to other pets. They can download an augmented reality app that sees through obstacles such as furniture to locate their pet. Or they can record and vicariously experience their pet's perspective and movement remotely via wearable cameras. Get more here