rabies
Index
- Pictures
- Identity
- Pathogen/s
- Overview
- Host Animals
- Hosts/Species Affected
- Systems Affected
- Distribution
- Distribution Table
- Pathology
- Diagnosis
- List of Symptoms/Signs
- Disease Course
- Epidemiology
- Impact: Economic
- Zoonoses and Food Safety
- Disease Treatment
- Prevention and Control
- References
- Links to Websites
- Distribution Maps
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Top of pagePreferred Scientific Name
- rabies
International Common Names
- English: dumb rabies; furious rabies; hydrophobia; lyssa; madness; paralytic rabies; rabies
- Spanish: rabia
- French: rage
- Russian: beshenstvo
Local Common Names
- Croatia: bjesnoce
- Germany: Tollwut
- Hungary: veszettség
- Italy: rabbia
- Poland: wscieklizna
- Portugal: raiva
- Slovakia: besnota
- Slovenia: stekline
- Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro): bjesnoce
Overview
Top of pageRabies is caused by a neurotropic virus that is transmissible to all mammals. Birds are much less susceptible to the virus than mammals, and the presence of disease in them is very rare. The first description of rabies originates from Babylon (BC 2300). Later, Demokritos and Aristotle mentioned transmission by dogs (BC 500 and BC 400, respectively). Pasteur and his co-workers developed the first immunization method in 1885. Negri discovered the inclusion bodies named after him in 1903, and the immunofluorescence test for rabies was devised by Goldwasser and Kissling in 1958.
The importance of rabies is characterized by its worldwide distribution, fatal outcome and its zoonotic aspects. Although direct economic losses are low, costs of control and elimination of the disease from a region are very high.
This disease is on the list of diseases notifiable to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The distribution section contains data from OIE's WAHID database on disease occurrence. Please see the AHPC library for further information on this disease from OIE, including the International Animal Health Code and the Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines. Also see the website: www.oie.int.
Host Animals
Top of pageAnimal name | Context | Life stage | System |
---|---|---|---|
Bos grunniens (yaks) | Domesticated host; Wild host | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages | |
Bos indicus (zebu) | Domesticated host | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages | |
Bos mutus (yaks, wild) | Domesticated host; Wild host | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages | |
Bos taurus (cattle) | Domesticated host | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages | |
Bubalus bubalis (Asian water buffalo) | Domesticated host | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages | |
Camelus dromedarius (dromedary camel) | Domesticated host | ||
Capra hircus (goats) | Domesticated host | Sheep and Goats|All Stages | |
Capreolus capreolus | Domesticated host; Wild host | Other|All Stages | |
Equus caballus (horses) | Domesticated host | Other|All Stages | |
Lama glama (llamas) | Domesticated host | ||
Lama pacos (alpacas) | Domesticated host | ||
Ovis aries (sheep) | Domesticated host | Sheep and Goats|All Stages | |
Rangifer tarandus (reindeer) | Domesticated host; Wild host | Other|All Stages | |
Sus scrofa (pigs) | Domesticated host; Wild host | Pigs|All Stages |
Hosts/Species Affected
Top of pageHosts of infection can be any of the wild or domestic animals listed under the rabies virus data sheet. Ruminants, swine and horses kept outdoors under extensive husbandry systems are especially prone to infection.
Systems Affected
Top of pagemultisystemic diseases of pigs
multisystemic diseases of small ruminants
nervous system diseases of large ruminants
nervous system diseases of pigs
nervous system diseases of small ruminants
Distribution
Top of pageRabies occurs throughout the world and only a few countries are free of the disease, due to successful eradication programs or to island status and enforcement of rigorous quarantine regulations (Aiello and Mais, 1998; Blancou, 1998). In farm animals, rabies occurs in cattle, sheep, pigs, and horses in most countries. Bovines, including cattle and buffaloes, are the most commonly affected domestic animals (Gylys et al., 1998; Jindal and Narang, 1998; Krebs et al., 1998). Rabies in cattle is a major economic and public health problem in South America, where vampire bat-transmitted rabies results in cyclic outbreaks (Alvarez-Peralta, 1997; Jacobo et al., 1998). In Europe, sylvatic rabies is a major problem where the red fox is the principal vector; cattle are mainly infected by rabid foxes (Pastoret and Brochier, 1999; Muller et al., 1999b). More recently, bat-transmitted rabies has also been described in Europe (WHO, 1996; World Health Organization, 1998). Rabies occurs in most countries in Africa, and affects cattle and other bovines. In USA, endemic infection exists throughout southern Ohio, and the prairie states; rabies in domestic animals has steadily decreased there during the past 30 years, whereas annual occurrence in wild animals has increased (Krebs et al., 1999). Rabies is widespread and is a serious problem in several countries in Asia (Rathore, 1998), and in both European and Asian Russia. Australia and New Zealand have never had the disease (Radostits et al., 1999).
For current information on disease incidence, see OIE's WAHID Interface.
Rabies is common and enzootic in many African countries. A total of 34 countries reported 1,608 outbreaks of rabies to AU-IBAR in 2011, accounting for 7.2% of all disease outbreaks reported making it the disease with the highest number of outbreak reports. By virtue of the reports received it would appear that rabies is the most widely distributed zoonotic disease in Africa. This observation should be tempered by the fact that other zoonotic diseases are less readily diagnosed on clinical signs alone and it can be argued that many cases of for example brucellosis, echinococcosis and cysticercosis go undetected and are consequently under-reported. Algeria, South Africa and Namibia recorded the highest number of outbreaks of brucellosis with 522, 236 and 183 reports respectively (AU-IBAR, 2011).
Countries in Africa reporting rabies to AU-IBAR in 2011
Country | Outbreaks | Cases | Deaths | Slaughtered | Destroyed |
Algeria | 522 | 563 | 191 | 2 | 476 |
Benin | 1 | 1 | NS | NS | NS |
Botswana | 41 | 37 | 45 | 0 | 0 |
Cameroon | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | NS |
Central African Republic | 2 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Chad | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Congo DRC | 18 | 77 | 80 | 0 | 5 |
Côte d'Ivoire | 13 | 17 | 17 | 1 | 5 |
Eritrea | 1 | 1 | 1 | NS | 1 |
Ethiopia | 38 | 325 | 187 | 4 | NS |
Gabon | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Gambia | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Ghana | 44 | 49 | 35 | 0 | 15 |
Kenya | 11 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
Lesotho | 11 | 21 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
Liberia | 1 | 15 | 14 | 0 | 9 |
Madagascar | 3 | 9 | 9 | NS | NS |
Malawi | 4 | 4 | 4 | NS | NS |
Mauritania | 12 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 3 |
Mozambique | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Namibia | 183 | 269 | 253 | 0 | 0 |
Nigeria | 14 | 30 | 10 | 3 | 11 |
Rwanda | 40 | 86 | 59 | 0 | 795 |
Senegal | 18 | 38 | 36 | 0 | 0 |
Somalia | 5 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
South Africa | 236 | NS | NS | NS | NS |
Sudan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Swaziland | 57 | 62 | 55 | 3 | 4 |
Tanzania | 10 | 214 | 27 | NS | NS |
Togo | 14 | 25 | 6 | 16 | 2 |
Tunisia | 106 | 91 | 82 | 62 | 34 |
Uganda | 74 | 466 | 191 | 119 | 52 |
Zambia | 42 | 207 | 68 | NS | NS |
Zimbabwe | 73 | 114 | 92 | NS | NS |
Total (34) | 1608 | 2779 | 1524 | 211 | 1416 |
NS=Not specified
Although rabies is one of the major zoonotic diseases, reports on its situation from many countries are often incomplete. There were many gaps in the reports received in 2011, most of which did not capture the number of outbreaks, cases, mortalities, species involvement, sources of infection and the number of human cases. These parameters are essential to substantiate the impact of rabies in public health. Nevertheless, available data calls for an urgent, concerted and coordinated effort in controlling the disease in Africa considering its impact on human health.
Dogs were the most commonly affected species, constituting 63% of all cases followed by cattle (16%) and sheep and goats (4%). There was a high incidence of rabies cases in wildlife reported by Namibia where 59 cases of a total of 70 reported cases occurred in wildlife. The species most commonly affected were the greater kudu antelope and jackal.
Distribution Table
Top of pageThe distribution in this summary table is based on all the information available. When several references are cited, they may give conflicting information on the status. Further details may be available for individual references in the Distribution Table Details section which can be selected by going to Generate Report.
Last updated: 16 Dec 2021Continent/Country/Region | Distribution | Last Reported | Origin | First Reported | Invasive | Reference | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Africa |
|||||||
Algeria | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Angola | Present | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Benin | Present | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Botswana | Present | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Burkina Faso | Present, Localized | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Burundi | Present | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Cabo Verde | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Cameroon | Present | ||||||
Central African Republic | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Chad | Present, Localized | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Comoros | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jan-Jun-2018 | |||||
Congo, Democratic Republic of the | Present, Localized | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Congo, Republic of the | Absent | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Côte d'Ivoire | Present, Localized | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Djibouti | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Egypt | Present, Localized | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Eritrea | Present, Localized | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Eswatini | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Ethiopia | Present | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Gabon | Present | Original citation: AU-IBAR (2011) | |||||
Gambia | Present | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Ghana | Present | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Guinea | Present | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Guinea-Bissau | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Kenya | Present, Localized | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Lesotho | Present, Localized | Jan-Jun-2020 | |||||
Liberia | Present | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
Libya | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Madagascar | Present | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Malawi | Present, Localized | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Mali | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Mauritania | Present | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Mauritius | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Mayotte | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Morocco | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Mozambique | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Namibia | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Niger | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Nigeria | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Réunion | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Rwanda | Present | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Saint Helena | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
São Tomé and Príncipe | Absent, No presence record(s) | ||||||
Senegal | Present, Localized | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Seychelles | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Sierra Leone | Present, Localized | Jan-Jun-2018 | |||||
Somalia | Absent | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
South Africa | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
South Sudan | Absent | Jan-Jun-2018 | |||||
Sudan | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Tanzania | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Togo | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Tunisia | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Uganda | Present, Localized | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Zambia | Present | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Zimbabwe | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Asia |
|||||||
Afghanistan | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Armenia | Present | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
Azerbaijan | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Bahrain | Absent | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
Bangladesh | Absent | Jan-Jun-2020 | |||||
Bhutan | Present, Localized | Jan-Jun-2020 | |||||
Brunei | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Cambodia | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
China | Present, Localized | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Georgia | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Hong Kong | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
India | Present, Localized | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
-Haryana | Present | ||||||
Indonesia | Present | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
Iran | Present | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Iraq | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Israel | Present, Localized | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
Japan | Absent | Jan-Jun-2020 | |||||
Jordan | Present | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Kazakhstan | Present | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
Kuwait | Absent | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Kyrgyzstan | Present | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Laos | Present | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Lebanon | Present | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
Malaysia | Present | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
-Sabah | Absent, No presence record(s) | ||||||
-Sarawak | Absent, No presence record(s) | ||||||
Maldives | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Mongolia | Present | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Myanmar | Present | Jan-Jun-2020 | |||||
Nepal | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
North Korea | Absent, No presence record(s) | ||||||
Oman | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Pakistan | Present, Localized | Jan-Jun-2020 | |||||
Palestine | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Philippines | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Qatar | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Saudi Arabia | Absent | Jan-Jun-2020 | |||||
Singapore | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
South Korea | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Sri Lanka | Present | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Syria | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Taiwan | Present | Jul-Dec-2019; in wild animals only | |||||
Tajikistan | Present | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Thailand | Present | Jan-Jun-2020 | |||||
Turkey | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Turkmenistan | Present | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
United Arab Emirates | Absent | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
Uzbekistan | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Vietnam | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Yemen | Present | Jan-Jun-2020 | |||||
Europe |
|||||||
Albania | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Andorra | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Austria | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Belarus | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Belgium | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Present | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
Bulgaria | Absent | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Croatia | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Cyprus | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Czechia | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Denmark | Absent | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Estonia | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Faroe Islands | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia | Absent, No presence record(s) | ||||||
Finland | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
France | Present | Jan-Jun-2020 | |||||
Germany | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Greece | Absent | Jan-Jun-2018 | |||||
Hungary | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Iceland | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Ireland | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Isle of Man | Absent, No presence record(s) | ||||||
Italy | Absent | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
Jersey | Absent, No presence record(s) | ||||||
Latvia | Absent | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
Liechtenstein | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Lithuania | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Luxembourg | Absent, No presence record(s) | ||||||
Malta | Absent | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Moldova | Present | Jan-Jun-2020 | |||||
Montenegro | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Netherlands | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
North Macedonia | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Norway | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Poland | Present | Jan-Jun-2019; in wild animals only | |||||
Portugal | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Romania | Present, Localized | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Russia | Present | Jan-Jun-2020 | |||||
-Russia (Europe) | Present, Widespread | ||||||
San Marino | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Serbia | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Serbia and Montenegro | Present | ||||||
Slovakia | Absent | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
Slovenia | Absent | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Spain | Absent | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
Sweden | Absent | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
Switzerland | Absent | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
Ukraine | Present | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
United Kingdom | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
North America |
|||||||
Bahamas | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Barbados | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
Belize | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Bermuda | Absent, No presence record(s) | ||||||
British Virgin Islands | Absent, No presence record(s) | ||||||
Canada | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
-Newfoundland and Labrador | Present | ||||||
-Nova Scotia | Present | ||||||
-Quebec | Present | ||||||
Cayman Islands | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Costa Rica | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Cuba | Present | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Curaçao | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Dominica | Absent, No presence record(s) | ||||||
Dominican Republic | Present | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
El Salvador | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Greenland | Present | Jul-Dec-2018; in wild animals only | |||||
Guadeloupe | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Guatemala | Present | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Haiti | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Honduras | Absent | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Jamaica | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Martinique | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Mexico | Present, Localized | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Nicaragua | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Panama | Present | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Saint Kitts and Nevis | Absent, No presence record(s) | ||||||
Saint Lucia | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Trinidad and Tobago | Absent | Jan-Jun-2018 | |||||
United States | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
-California | Present, Localized | ||||||
-Connecticut | Present, Localized | ||||||
-Florida | Present, Localized | ||||||
-Georgia | Present, Localized | ||||||
-Iowa | Present, Widespread | ||||||
-Kansas | Present, Localized | ||||||
-Kentucky | Present, Widespread | ||||||
-Maryland | Present, Localized | ||||||
-Massachusetts | Present, Localized | ||||||
-Minnesota | Present, Localized | ||||||
-Montana | Present, Localized | ||||||
-New Hampshire | Present, Localized | ||||||
-New Jersey | Present, Localized | ||||||
-New York | Present, Widespread | ||||||
-North Carolina | Present, Localized | ||||||
-North Dakota | Present, Widespread | ||||||
-Oklahoma | Present, Widespread | ||||||
-Pennsylvania | Present, Widespread | ||||||
-South Dakota | Present, Widespread | ||||||
-Tennessee | Present, Localized | ||||||
-Texas | Present, Widespread | ||||||
-Vermont | Present, Localized | ||||||
-Virginia | Present, Widespread | ||||||
-Wisconsin | Present, Localized | ||||||
-Wyoming | Present, Localized | ||||||
Oceania |
|||||||
Australia | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Cook Islands | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Federated States of Micronesia | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Fiji | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
French Polynesia | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Kiribati | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jan-Jun-2018 | |||||
Marshall Islands | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
New Caledonia | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
New Zealand | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Palau | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
Papua New Guinea | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Samoa | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Timor-Leste | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Tonga | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Vanuatu | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
South America |
|||||||
Argentina | Present, Localized | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Bolivia | Present | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Brazil | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
-Amazonas | Present | ||||||
-Minas Gerais | Present | ||||||
-Rio de Janeiro | Present | ||||||
Chile | Present | Jan-Jun-2019; in wild animals only | |||||
Colombia | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Ecuador | Present | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Falkland Islands | Absent, No presence record(s) | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
French Guiana | Absent | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Guyana | Absent | Jul-Dec-2018 | |||||
Paraguay | Present, Localized | Jul-Dec-2019 | |||||
Peru | Present, Localized | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Suriname | Absent | Jan-Jun-2019 | |||||
Uruguay | Present | Jul-Dec-2020 | |||||
Venezuela | Present | Jan-Jun-2019 |
Pathology
Top of pageThe virus travels via the peripheral nerves to the spinal cord and ascends to the brain after replication within muscle cells near the site of inoculation. After reaching the brain, the virus usually travels efferently through the peripheral nerves to the salivary glands (Aiello and Mais, 1998; Singh and Grewal, 1998a).
Macroscopic findings are unremarkable, and there is no gross pathognomonic lesion for rabies. Histopathological findings are characterized by non-suppurative encephalomyelitis and ganglioneuritis, with neuronal necrosis and the formation of glial nodules. Negri bodies (aggregates of viral material in the cytoplasm of neurones) are most commonly found in the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum in ruminants (Radostits et al., 1999).
Diagnosis
Top of pageIn any animal, the first sign is a change in behaviour, which may be indistinguishable from a gastrointestinal disorder, injury, foreign body in the mouth, poisoning, or an early infectious disease. Temperature change is not significant and drivelling may or may not be noted. Animals usually stop eating and drinking and may seek solitude. Frequently, the urogenital tract is irritated or stimulated as evidenced by frequent urination, erection in the male, and sexual desire. After the prodromal period of 1-3 days, animals either show signs of paralysis or become vicious. Paralysis of the cranial nerves is soon obvious and commonly results in difficulties in chewing, drinking, swallowing (dyspaghia), and evidence of drooling. Dropping of the lower jaw and strabismus can often be observed.
Signs may vary with the species affected (Kandavel et al., 1989; Aiello and Mais, 1998, Stoltenow et al., 1998; Vörös et al., 1999). Cattle with furious rabies are dangerous, attacking and pursuing man and other animals; instead of the usual placid expression there is one of alertness. A common clinical sign is a characteristic abnormal bellowing. In the paralytic form, cranial nerve paralysis, especially hind leg paresis followed by paralysis of all four legs may be observed, while excitement may be missing. Finally, recumbency and death will follow. The signs in sheep and goats resemble those in cattle. In sheep, vigorous wool pulling, tremors and sudden falling can occur; however, many sheep become quiet and anorectic. Infected goats are commonly aggressive, and continuous bleating is common. Rabid swine manifest excitement and a tendency to attack, or conversely, dullness and incoordination. Rapid chewing movements and convulsions can also be present. Paralysis and death usually occurs in pigs 12-48 hours after the onset of signs, which may be extremely variable (Hou, 1992; Kociorski, 1994).
Clinical observation may only lead to a suspicion of rabies, because symptoms of the disease are not always characteristic and may vary greatly from one animal to another.
Differential Diagnosis
Several diseases, especially those affecting the nervous system, can resemble some signs of rabies (Leupold et al., 1989). The following list includes examples for farm animals (Radostits et al., 1999).
Cattle, sheep and goats
Lead poisoning, lactation tetany, polioencephalomalacia (vitamin B1 hypovitaminosis), vitamin A deficiency, listeriosis, bacterial meningoencephalitis, pseudorabies (Aujeszky's disease in cattle), enterotoxemia in sheep, pregnancy ketosis in sheep, coenurosis in sheep.
Swine
Pseudorabies, Teschen's disease, African swine fever, bacterial meningoencephalitis.
As a golden rule, in regions where the disease is present, rabies should be considered in any cases with even uncertain nervous signs or in animals found in a moribund stage or dead in outside pens or pastures, until otherwise proven.
Laboratory Diagnosis
As there is no gross pathognomonic lesion for rabies, diagnosis can only be made by laboratory techniques, preferably conducted on central nervous system (CNS) tissue previously removed from the cranium; the hippocampus (Ammon's horn) and the medulla oblongata are the tissues of choice. However, similar laboratory methods can also be applied to other organs, such as the salivary glands and cornea (Singh et al., 1999). Specimens for rabies diagnosis must be processed rapidly and sent to the laboratory under cold conditions, because rabies virus can be soon inactivated by heat (Barrat, 1992).
Diagnosis is preferably performed using the fluorescent antibody test (FAT). A drop of immune serum previously conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate is added to a fixed brain tissue smear, preferably made from several parts of the brain including the hippocampus and medulla oblongata (Umoh and Blenden, 1981; Barnard and Voges, 1982; Barrat, 1992). Alternatively, antibody may be conjugated to an enzyme such as peroxidase instead of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). This conjugate may be used for direct diagnosis with the same sensitivity as FAT (Genovese and Andral, 1978). The immunoenzyme technique can provide rapid results when handling a large number of samples as part of an epidemiological survey. This is 'rapid rabies enzyme immunodiagnosis' (RREID), an ELISA test that detects rabies antigen (Perrin et al., 1986). Both FAT and RREID provide a reliable diagnosis in 98-100% of cases.
Histological tests can be used to demonstrate infected neuronal cells. These traditional procedures will reveal aggregates of viral material (the Negri bodies) in the cytoplasm of neurones. Nevertheless, this method does not always detect the virus (Singh and Grewal, 1998b), and the sensitivity of histological techniques depends on the degree of autolysis of the specimen; up to 15% false-negative results are observed on putrefied specimens. As a single negative test on fresh material does not rule out the possibility of infection, inoculation tests should be carried out simultaneously. Newborn mice or 3-4-week-old mice are inoculated intracerebrally with a suspension of hippocampal tissue, or a pool of several CNS tissues, and then kept under observation for 28 days. For any mouse that dies between 5 and 28 days, the cause of death should be confirmed by FAT. A neuroblastoma cell line, identified CCL131 in the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), is used as a cell culture test for routine diagnosis of rabies. This cell line is sensitive to street isolates, but should be checked for susceptibility to locally predominant virus variants before use. Replication of rabies virus in the cells is revealed by FAT (Barrat et al., 1986). This test is as sensitive as the mouse inoculation test, but it is much cheaper and gives a more rapid result.
Serological evidence of infection is rarely obtained because of the high mortality rate of host species, although such evidence may be used in some epidemiological surveys. However, serological tests are used to assess the potency of vaccines against rabies; these are the virus neutralization test and the fluorescent antibody virus neutralization (FAVN) tests (Smith et al., 1973; Zalan et al., 1979; Perrin et al., 1985).
List of Symptoms/Signs
Top of pageSign | Life Stages | Type |
---|---|---|
Digestive Signs / Anorexia, loss or decreased appetite, not nursing, off feed | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Sign |
Digestive Signs / Decreased amount of stools, absent faeces, constipation | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Digestive Signs / Diarrhoea | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Sign |
Digestive Signs / Difficulty in prehending or chewing food | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Digestive Signs / Dysphagia, difficulty swallowing | Sign | |
Digestive Signs / Excessive salivation, frothing at the mouth, ptyalism | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Digestive Signs / Fecal incontinence | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Sign |
Digestive Signs / Grinding teeth, bruxism, odontoprisis | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Digestive Signs / Inability to open (trismus) and / or close jaw, mouth | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Digestive Signs / Mucous, mucoid stools, faeces | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Sign |
Digestive Signs / Pica, depraved appetite | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Digestive Signs / Prolapsed rectum, rectal eversion | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Sign |
Digestive Signs / Tongue protrusion | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Digestive Signs / Tongue weakness, paresis, paralysis | Sign | |
Digestive Signs / Vomiting or regurgitation, emesis | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Abnormal proprioceptive positioning, knuckling | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Ataxia, incoordination, staggering, falling | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Dehydration | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Sign |
General Signs / Dysmetria, hypermetria, hypometria | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Fever, pyrexia, hyperthermia | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Sign |
General Signs / Forelimb lameness, stiffness, limping fore leg | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Forelimb weakness, paresis, paralysis front leg | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Generalized lameness or stiffness, limping | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Generalized weakness, paresis, paralysis | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Head, face, ears, jaw weakness, droop, paresis, paralysis | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Hindlimb lameness, stiffness, limping hind leg | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Hypothermia, low temperature | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Sign |
General Signs / Inability to stand, downer, prostration | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Neck weakness, paresis, paralysis, limp, ventroflexion | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Paraparesis, weakness, paralysis both hind limbs | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Sudden death, found dead | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Sweating excessively, hyperhidrosis | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Poultry|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Sign |
General Signs / Tail weakness, paresis, paralysis sacrococcygeal region | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Tenesmus, straining, dyschezia | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Tetraparesis, weakness, paralysis all four limbs | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Trembling, shivering, fasciculations, chilling | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Weakness of one hindlimb, paresis paralysis rear leg | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
General Signs / Weight loss | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Poultry|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Sign |
Musculoskeletal Signs / Forelimb spasms, myoclonus | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Musculoskeletal Signs / Hindlimb spasms, myoclonus | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Abnormal anal, perineal, tail reflexes, increased or decreased | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Abnormal behavior, aggression, changing habits | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Abnormal forelimb reflexes, increased or decreased | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Abnormal hindlimb reflexes, increased or decreased | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Abnormal panniculus reflex, increased or decreased | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Back hypoesthesia, anesthesia | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Circling | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Coma, stupor | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Constant or increased vocalization | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Disoriented, memory loss | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Dullness, depression, lethargy, depressed, lethargic, listless | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Excitement, delirium, mania | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Forelimb hypoesthesia, anesthesia front leg | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Head pressing | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Head shaking, headshaking | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Head tilt | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Hindlimb hypoesthesia, anesthesia rear leg | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Hyperesthesia, irritable, hyperactive | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Propulsion, aimless wandering | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Seizures or syncope, convulsions, fits, collapse | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Tail, anal hypoesthesia, anesthesia perineum, anus | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Nervous Signs / Tremor | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Ophthalmology Signs / Blindness | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Ophthalmology Signs / Mydriasis, dilated pupil | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Ophthalmology Signs / Nystagmus | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Ophthalmology Signs / Photophobia | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Ophthalmology Signs / Prolapsed third eyelid, protrusion nictitating membrane | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Ophthalmology Signs / Strabismus | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Pain / Discomfort Signs / Colic, abdominal pain | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Pain / Discomfort Signs / Pain, neck, cervical, throat | Sign | |
Reproductive Signs / Agalactia, decreased, absent milk production | Cattle and Buffaloes|Cow; Sheep and Goats|Mature female | Sign |
Reproductive Signs / Paraphimosis or priapism, inability to retract penis | Cattle and Buffaloes|Bull; Sheep and Goats|Breeding male | Diagnosis |
Respiratory Signs / Abnormal breathing sounds of the upper airway, airflow obstruction, stertor, snoring | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Sign |
Respiratory Signs / Change in voice, vocal strength | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Respiratory Signs / Dyspnea, difficult, open mouth breathing, grunt, gasping | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Sign |
Respiratory Signs / Increased respiratory rate, polypnea, tachypnea, hyperpnea | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Sign |
Respiratory Signs / Mucoid nasal discharge, serous, watery | Sign | |
Respiratory Signs / Purulent nasal discharge | Sign | |
Skin / Integumentary Signs / Alopecia, thinning, shedding, easily epilated, loss of, hair | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Sign |
Skin / Integumentary Signs / Pruritus, itching skin | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Skin / Integumentary Signs / Skin edema | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Sign |
Urinary Signs / Dysuria, difficult urination, stranguria | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Diagnosis |
Urinary Signs / Enlarged, distended, urinary bladder | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Sign |
Urinary Signs / Increased frequency of urination, pollakiuria | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Sign |
Urinary Signs / Urinary incontinence, dribbling urine | Cattle and Buffaloes|All Stages; Other|All Stages; Pigs|All Stages; Sheep and Goats|All Stages | Sign |
Disease Course
Top of pageThe incubation period of naturally occurring cases is usually about 3 weeks, but can vary from 2 weeks to several months. Rabid animals of all species exhibit typical signs of central nervous system (CNS) disturbance, with minor variations peculiar to carnivores, ruminants, bats, and humans. The clinical course, particularly in dogs, can be divided into three phases: the prodromal, the excitative, and the paralytic. The term 'furious rabies' refers to animals in which the excitative phase is predominant, and 'dumb' or 'paralytic rabies' to those in which the excitative phase is extremely short or absent and the disease progresses quickly to the paralytic phase. The disease progresses rapidly after the onset of paralysis; death usually occurs within 3-6 days and is virtually certain within 10 days of the first signs (Tanyi et al., 1988; Schulz, 1989).
Epidemiology
Top of pageThe source of infection is always an infected animal, and the method of spread is almost always by the bite of an infected animal, although contamination of skin wounds by fresh saliva may result in infection. Aerosol transmission can occur under special circumstances, for example, in bat caves or in laboratories manipulating the virus. The virus may appear in the milk of infected animals, but spread by this means is not very likely. Animal vectors are numerous and their role differs according to region. Traditionally the dog, and to a lesser extent the cat, have been the main sources of infection in domestic settings. The native fauna provide the major sources of infection in countries where domestic or feral carnivores are well controlled (Muller et al., 1999). Cattle are rarely a source of infection, although transmission to humans may occur when manipulating the mouth of a rabid animal, for example, during treatment or examination (Tariq et al., 1991; Radostits et al., 1999).
Impact: Economic
Top of pageLosses from diseased animals (which invariably all die) are relatively low (Borowka, 1994). Of more significance is the value of condemned milk from infected or possibly infected cows and the expenses of preventive vaccination of animals (World Health Organization, 1989, Dufour et al., 1989), and post-infection vaccination of people (Anon., 1999; Zeller et al., 1989).
Zoonoses and Food Safety
Top of pageRabies is transmissible to humans by the inoculation (via bites, mainly from carnivores, or wounds contaminated with saliva) or inhalation (from bats) of infectious virus. Rabies in humans produces very grave central nervous system (CNS) clinical signs (Krebs et al., 1999), and has a fatal outcome in nearly all cases. This very severe illness requires skilful intensive care with attention to the airway, maintenance of oxygenation, and control of seizures.
Post-infection control of the disease should be done by vigorous first aid for bite wounds and post-exposure immunization (Zeller et al., 1989; Ostrowska and Hermanowska-Szpakowicz, 1997). Therefore, local health authorities must be consulted in all cases of suspected exposure.
Transmission in FoodThe milk and meat of infected animals should be condemned. People that have accidentally consumed infected products should be vaccinated against rabies; this may be an expensive operation (Borowka, 1994; Anon., 1999).
Disease Treatment
Top of pageNo treatment should be attempted after clinical signs are evident. Euthanasia of suspect animals must be avoided, particularly if human exposure has occurred, since the development of the disease in animals is necessary to establish a diagnosis (Radostits et al., 1999). In several countries, cases of rabies in farm animals are notifiable to the animal health and disease regulatory bodies.
Prevention and Control
Top of pageRabies vaccines for use in animals contain either live virus attenuated for the target species (for example, Flury low egg passage, Flury high egg passage, Street-Alabama-Dufferin or Kelev), or virus inactivated by chemical or physical means, or recombinant vaccines.
Subtypes of rabies virus may vary considerably in their pathogenicity. They can be classified according to origin as vulpine, canine, etc. However, with the exception of serotype 3, their immunogenicity provides almost complete cross-protection. For animals, live vaccines are also effective by the oral route and can be distributed in baits in order to immunize wild (or domestic) animals (Kieny et al., 1984, Krebs et al., 1999). Live recombinant vaccine (for example, vaccinia rabies-glycoprotein recombinant) has also proved to be effective.
Both live and inactivated vaccines have their advantages and disadvantages (Baer, 1991), but both can be used to immunize animals for periods of between 1 and 3 years (Sihvonen et al., 1994; Basheer et al., 1997; Jenkins, 1998). They are not to be relied on to protect previously unvaccinated animals that have been exposed to infection (Blancou et al., 1991).
In addition to vaccination, prevention of exposure should be encouraged whenever is possible by vaccinating vector animals, and keeping farm animals indoors. A promising widespread oral vaccination technique distributed in baits has been used with promising results in Canada, in the USA and in Europe (World Health Organization, 1989; Krebs et al., 1999; Pastoret and Brochier, 1999).
Control of Vectors
The chemicals warfarin and diphenadione have been used to control vampire bats in South America (Delpietro et al., 1991; Sald and Flores-Crespo, 1991).
National and International Control Policy
Rabies is included on the list of notifiable diseases by the Office International des Epizooties (OIE). Strict quarantine regulation is and should be performed in countries and regions that are currently free from disease. Control of rabies is internationally organized by OIE.
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Sinyangwe P, 1992. Rabies in Zambia. Proceedings of the International Conference on Epidemiology Control and Prevention of Rabies in Eastern and Southern Africa, Lusaka, Zambia, June 2-5. 1992., 19-21; [aka, Zambia, June 2-5. 1992.].
Smith JS, Yager PA, Baer GC, 1973. A rapid reproducible test for determining rabies neutralizing antibody. Bulletin of WHO, 48:535-541.
Stoltenow CL, Shirely LA, Jones T, Rupprecht CE, 1999. Clinical report - atypical rabies in a cow. Bovine Practitioner, 33(1):4-5; 10 ref.
Tariq WUZ, Shafi MS, Jamal S, Ahmad M, 1991. Rabies in man handling infected calf. Lancet (British Edition), 337(8751):1224; 1 ref.
Umoh JU, Blenden DC, 1981. Immunofluorescent staining of rabies virus antigen in formalin fixed tissue after treatment with trypsin. Bulletin of WHO, 59(5):737-744.
Valtchovski R, 1995. Rabies in Bulgaria from 1984-1994. Rabies Bulletin Europe, 19(1):12-13.
Vargas-Garcia R, Cardenas-Lara J, 1996. Epidemiology of rabies: current situation in Mexico (in Spanish). Ciencia Veterinaria, 7:331-360.
Vörös K, Tanyi J, Karsai F, 1999. Clinical experiences with rabies in cattle in Hungary. Deutsche Tierärztliche Wochenschrift, 106(1):46-48; 5 ref.
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Distribution References
CABI, Undated. Compendium record. Wallingford, UK: CABI
CABI, Undated a. CABI Compendium: Status as determined by CABI editor. Wallingford, UK: CABI
Groushko I V, 1993. Rabies in Moldova in 1992. Rabies Bulletin Europe. 17 (1), 11.
Hameid O A, 1991. Rabies in Sudan: an epidemiological review. Veterinary Record. 128 (3), 61-62.
Lau H D, 1990. Common buffalo diseases in Amazonian Brazil. Buffalo Bulletin. 9 (4), 75-77.
OIE Handistatus, 2005. World Animal Health Publication and Handistatus II (dataset for 2004)., Paris, France: Office International des Epizooties.
OIE, 2009. World Animal Health Information Database - Version: 1.4., Paris, France: World Organisation for Animal Health. https://www.oie.int/
OIE, 2012. World Animal Health Information Database. Version 2., Paris, France: World Organisation for Animal Health. https://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.php/Wahidhome/Home
Valtchovski R, 1995. Rabies in Bulgaria from 1984-1994. Rabies Bulletin Europe. 19 (1), 12-13.
Links to Websites
Top of pageWebsite | URL | Comment |
---|---|---|
CDC Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control, 2008 | http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr5702.pdf | |
Global Alliance for Rabies Control | http://www.rabiescontrol.net/ | |
OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals | http://www.oie.int/en/international-standard-setting/terrestrial-manual/access-online/ | The Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals (Terrestrial Manual) aims to facilitate international trade in animals and animal products and to contribute to the improvement of animal health services world-wide. The principal target readership is laboratories carrying out veterinary diagnostic tests and surveillance, plus vaccine manufacturers and regulatory authorities in Member Countries. The objective is to provide internationally agreed diagnostic laboratory methods and requirements for the production and control of vaccines and other biological products. |
OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code | http://www.oie.int/en/international-standard-setting/terrestrial-code/access-online/ | The OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code sets out standards for the improvement of terrestrial animal health and welfare and veterinary public health worldwide, including through standards for safe international trade in terrestrial animals and their products. The health measures in the Terrestrial Code should be used by the veterinary authorities of importing and exporting countries to provide for early detection, reporting and control agents pathogenic to terrestrial animals and, in the case of zoonoses, for humans, and to prevent their transfer via international trade in terrestrial animals and terrestrial animal products, while avoiding unjustified sanitary barriers to trade. |
Prof. Dr W Klee | http://www.vetmed.uni-muenchen.de/med2/home.html | Medizinische Tierlinik, LMU, Munich, Germany, Lehrmaterialen für Erkrankungen der Wiederkauern |
Rabies - What You Need To Know | http://www.cfainc.org/articles/rabies.html | |
Rabies Information for Travellers | http://www.cdc.gov/travel/rabies.htm | |
Rabnet, WHO | http://oms2.b3e.jussieu.fr/rabnet/ | |
WHO Collaborating Centres on Rabies | http://www.who.int/emc/diseases/zoo/rabcollabcentre.html | |
WHO Database on Rabies | http://www.who.int/emc/diseases/zoo/rabies.html | |
WHO Expert Consultation on Rabies - 2005 | http://whqlibdoc.who.int/trs/WHO_TRS_931_eng.pdf | |
World Health Organization | http://www.who.int |
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