20 research outputs found
The epidemiology of rabies in Zimbabwe. 1. Rabies in dogs (Canis familiaris)
The epidemiology of rabies in dogs in Zimbabwe is described using data from 1950, when rabies was
re-introduced after a 37 -year absence, to 1996. Dogs constituted 45,7% of all laboratory-confirmed
rabies cases and were the species most frequently diagnosed with the disease. Slightly more cases
were diagnosed from June to November than in other months. From 1950 to the early 1980s, most
dog cases were recorded from commercial farming areas, but since the early 1980s most have been
recorded from communal (subsistence farming) areas. This change appears to be due to improved
surveillance in communal areas and not to any change in the prevalence of rabies. Dog rabies therefore
appears to be maintained mainly in communal area dog populations, particularly the large communal
area blocks. Urban rabies was not important except in the city of Mutare. Where dog rabies
prevalence was high, the disease was cyclic with periods between peak prevalence ranging from 4-
7 years. Dog rabies cases were, on the whole, independent of jackal rabies and rabies in other carnivores.
There was a significant negative relationship between the annual number of rabies vaccine
doses administered nationally to dogs and the annual number of dog rabies cases lagged by one year,
indicating that the past levels of immunisation coverage have had a significant effect on the number
of rabies cases. However, dog vaccination coverage has clearly not been adequate to prevent the
regular occurrence of rabies in dogs.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi.
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The epidemiology of rabies in Zimbabwe. 2. Rabies in jackals (Canis adustus and Canis mesomelas)
The epidemiology of rabies in Canis adustus (the side-striped jackal) and Canis mesomelas (the black-backed jackal) in Zimbabwe is described using data collected from 1950-1996. Cases in the two species made up 25,2% of all confirmed cases, second only to domestic dogs. Since the species of jackal cases was not recorded on rabies submission forms, the country was divided into areas according to species dominance and jackal cases were assigned to either C. adustus or C. mesomelas dominant zones or a sympatric zone where the relative status of the species is not known. Jackal rabies in both species is maintained in the commercial farming sector. Jackal rabies in the C. adustus zone occurs as dense epidemics, which begin at a single focus and spread centrifugally. The foci were initiated by rabid dogs, but once initiated the epidemic is maintained by C. adustus independently of other species. The extent of outbreaks in the C. adustus zone was limited by geographical (Ianduse type and jackal species interface) boundaries. Jackal rabies in C. adustus zones showed two seasonal peaks with the main peak occurring during late summer and the second peak during winter. In the C. mesomelas zone jackal rabies was more sparse but it occurred during most years. C. mesomelas is also able to maintain rabies independently of other species, although the epidemiology of the disease in this species is unclear. Transmission of rabies cycles between the two jackal species zones does not appear to occur as epidemics terminate when crossing the C. adustus and C. mesomelas interface boundaries.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi.
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Antigenic characterisation of lyssaviruses in South Africa
There are at least six Lyssavirus species that have been isolated in Africa, which include classical
rabies virus, Lagos bat virus, Mokola virus, Duvenhage virus, Shimoni bat virus and Ikoma
lyssavirus. In this retrospective study, an analysis of the antigenic reactivity patterns of
lyssaviruses in South Africa against a panel of 15 anti-nucleoprotein monoclonal antibodies
was undertaken. A total of 624 brain specimens, collected between 2005 and 2009, confirmed as
containing lyssavirus antigen by direct fluorescent antibody test, were subjected to antigenic
differentiation. The lyssaviruses were differentiated into two species, namely rabies virus
(99.5%) and Mokola virus (0.5%). Furthermore, rabies virus was further delineated into two
common rabies biotypes in South Africa: canid and mongoose. Initially, it was found that the
canid rabies biotype had two reactivity patterns; differential staining was observed with just
one monoclonal antibody. This difference was likely to have been an artefact related to sample
quality, as passage in cell culture restored staining. Mongoose rabies viruses were more
heterogeneous, with seven antigenic reactivity patterns detected. Although Mokola viruses
were identified in this study, prevalence and reservoir host species are yet to be established.
These data demonstrate the usefulness of monoclonal antibody typing panels in lyssavirus
surveillance with reference to emergence of new species or spread of rabies biotypes to new
geographic zones.This work was partly funded by the Rabies
Diagnostic Project, Onderstepoort Veterinary Research
Institute (OVI 15/4/P001) and the European Virus Archive
(EVA) (04/17/C215).http://www.ojvr.orgam201
Wildlife rabies in perspective
Populations of a number of species of the orders Carnivora and Chiroptera maintain independent rabies
epidemics in different parts of the world. However, in large parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, rabid
dogs outnumber diagnosed wildlife cases. Rabies virus variants circulating in different host populations
can be distinguished by the use of monoclonal antibodies and by genomic analysis. Rabies virus strains
and their hosts have to be co-adapted in order to allow their prolonged co-existence.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi.
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Fatal human rabies due to Duvenhage virus from a bat in Kenya: failure of treatment with coma-induction, ketamine, and antiviral drugs
The delivery of oral rabies vaccines to dogs : an African perspective
Dog rabies control relies principally on the mass immunization of dogs in order to achieve population immunity levels sufficient to inhibit rabies transmission. In Africa, such high levels of population immunity are rarely achieved due to a number of reasons. Oral immunization has been shown to be an effective means of inducing high levels of immunity in fox populations in several European countries, and this technique has been mooted as a means of overcoming the logistical problems of delivering injectable rabies vaccines to dogs. This paper discusses the requirements for oral rabies vaccines for dogs in Africa and reviews the trials performed to date on baits and baiting systems suitable for the delivery of such vaccines. Issues affecting possible rabies vaccine distribution in the future are discussed and the major research issues still to be tackled are summarized.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi.
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A dog ecology study in an urban and a semi-rural area of Zambia
Characteristics of dog populations and their accessibility for rabies vaccination were compared in an urban
and a semi-rural area in Zambia. A total of 1190 households were interviewed. In the urban study area
(Mutendere, a low income suburb of Lusaka) only 11 % of the households kept dogs with a dog:human
ratio of 1:45. In the semi-rural area (Palabana) dogs were kept by 42% of households with a dog:human
ratio of 1:6,7. In conjuction with the study of the dog populations in these two areas, immunization of dogs
against rabies was provided by door-to-door visits in both study areas and also through central point vaccination
in the urban area. The attitude of the public towards free rabies vaccinations was positive, although
some misconceptions regarding indications and modalities of treatment following exposure to suspect dogs
were found.
Approximately 50% of the dog removals were as a result of disease and the demand for dogs was higher
than the supply. Although only information on the owned segment of the dog population was obtained
during the study, the proportion of ownerless dogs appeared to be very low. Generally, there is a need
for better co-ordination between the different services involved in rabies control in Zambia to enhance the
sustainability of vaccination programmes and improve the treatment of persons bitten by dogs.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi.
Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.mn201
Sarcoptic mange in Foxes in Switzerland
Wandeler A.I., Kappeler Andreas, Capt Simon. Sarcoptic mange in Foxes in Switzerland. In: Revue d'Écologie (La Terre et La Vie), tome 40, n°2, 1985. p. 240
Geographical barriers to wildlife rabies spread : the concept and it’s application in oral immunization of Foxes against rabies
Kappeler Andreas, Wandeler A.I., Capt Simon. Geographical barriers to wildlife rabies spread : the concept and it’s application in oral immunization of Foxes against rabies. In: Revue d'Écologie (La Terre et La Vie), tome 40, n°2, 1985. p. 267
Report of isolations of unusual lyssaviruses (rabies and Mokola virus) identified retrospectively from Zimbabwe : short communication
Rabies isolates that had been stored between 1983 and 1997 were examined with a panel of anti-lyssavirus nucleocapsid monoclonal antibodies. Out of 56 isolates from cats and various wild carnivore species, 1 isolate of Mokola virus and 5 other non-typical rabies viruses were identified. The Mokola virus isolate was diagnosed as rabies in 1993 from a cat. Genetic analysis of this isolate suggests that it falls in a distinct subgroup of the Mokola virus genotype. The 5 non-typical rabies viruses were isolated from honey badgers (Mellivora capensis), African civets (Civettictis civetta) and an unidentified mongoose (Herpestidae). These isolates are representatives of rarely-reported wildlife-associated strains of rabies, probably maintained by the slender mongoose (Galerella sanguinea). These findings indicate that both Mokola virus and the mongoose-associated variant may be more common in Zimbabwe than is apparent from routine surveillance