Does Perioperative Administration of Rabies Vaccine in Dogs Undergoing Surgical Sterilization Induce an Adequate Antibody Response?

High-volume spay/neuter events may facilitate access to free-roaming dogs to administer rabies vaccination, but important questions remain regarding the effect of surgery and anesthesia on the immune response to a vaccine administered in the perioperative period. This study evaluated the immunogenicity of primary rabies vaccination in dogs when administered during the immediate perioperative period at the time of surgical sterilization (ovariohysterectomy/orchidectomy). Healthy dogs of both sexes presenting for surgical sterilization who had never been vaccinated against rabies virus were eligible for enrollment in the study. Fifty dogs ranging in age from 5 to 96 months were enrolled and were vaccinated against rabies virus during the recovery period following anesthesia and surgery. Rabies virus neutralizing antibody (RVNA) titers were measured preoperatively and 28 days postoperatively. This cohort was compared to a historical control cohort of 57 dogs who received primary rabies vaccination for travel purposes and had RVNA titers measured at the same laboratory as the study group 28-35 days post-vaccination. After controlling for age and sex, there was no statistically significant difference in immunogenicity of a rabies vaccine administered to dogs during the perioperative period in comparison to dogs that received the rabies vaccine for travel alone in the absence of surgery. Perioperative administration of a rabies vaccine in dogs undergoing surgical sterilization induces an adequate antibody response. We recommend that rabies vaccine be administered perioperatively during spay/neuter campaigns in canine rabies endemic areas if other opportunities to access veterinary care and rabies vaccination are limited.

Post Vaccination Guillain Barre Syndrome: A Case Report

Guillain-Barre syndrome is a rare but fatal autoimmune disease. The exact cause of Guillain-Barre syndrome is still unknown. The most common known etiology of Guillain-Barre syndrome is infectious disease notably caused by Campylobacter jejuni. A very small fraction of people can develop Guillain-Barre syndrome due to vaccines and vaccinations like a meningococcal vaccine, poliovirus vaccine, influenza vaccine, and rabies vaccine. Of all these, rabies is fatal invariably. It can be preventable if diagnosed early and post-exposure treatment is followed according to the World Health Organization guidelines. Older formulations of rabies vaccines are cultured in the neural tissues and have been found to have an increased risk of Guillain-Barre syndrome. Although less immunogenic older formulations of rabies vaccines are more commonly used in Asian and South American countries due to their cost-effective nature. There is little to no data available on the incidence of Guillain-Barre syndrome due to vaccinations in Pakistan. Most of the cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome due to vaccination are either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. In this case report, we are presenting a case of vaccine-associated Guillain-Barre syndrome due to neural tissue anti-rabies vaccine in a young girl, who presented with lower limb weakness, inability to pass urine and abdominal pain.

First case of Stevens-Johnson syndrome after rabies vaccination

We describe the first case of Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) occurring 8 days after the first dose of a three-dose rabies vaccination series. She had no history of vaccine-related rash or other adverse drug reactions, nor had she received any other drug therapy. The temporal relationship between the development of SJS and the vaccination suggests that the rabies vaccination probably was the causal agent. This case serves as a warning of a distinct cutaneous reaction of rabies vaccination.

Immunogenicity and safety of WHO-approved TRC-ID regimen with a chromatographically purified Vero cell rabies vaccine with or without rabies immunoglobulin in children

INTRODUCTION

Children are at risk of rabies exposure in many Asian countries. The safety and immunogenicity profile of the WHO-approved two-site intradermal Thai Red Cross regimen (modified TRC-ID regimen; 2-2-2-0-2) with a new chromatographically purified Vero-cell rabies vaccine (CPRV) is lacking. Area covered: We studied the safety and immunogenicity of the TRC-ID regimen with a new CPRV in non-immunized Thai children with possible or proven rabies exposure. Thirty-nine seronegative patients (age range 2-14 years) with rabies exposure (WHO categories II or III) received two 0.1-mL intradermal doses of CPRV at both deltoid regions on days 0, 3, 7, and 28. Twenty-five patients (64.1%) received rabies immunoglobulin due to having rabies exposure, according to WHO category III. All serum samples were tested for rabies neutralizing antibody (Nab) by the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT) before vaccination, and on days 14 and 90 after vaccination. All patients had an adequate immune response (Nab titers ≥ 0.5 IU/mL) on days 14 and 90. No patients died of rabies infection. No serious adverse reactions were observed. Expert commentary: CPRV is economic, safe, and immunogenic if given as the modified TRC-ID regimen in children.

Risk factors associated with nonvaccination rabies status of dogs in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Canine rabies has been enzootic in the dog population of the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa since the mid-1970s and has been associated with high rates of human exposures and frequent transmissions to other domestic animal species. Several decades of control efforts, consisting primarily of mass vaccination programs, failed to sufficiently curb rabies in this province. For meaningful progression toward better control and elimination, the factors contributing to the persistence of this disease need to be elucidated and addressed. This paper reports evaluated observations from survey records captured through a cross-sectional observational study regarding owned canine populations in this South African province. We used logistic regression modeling to predict variables associated with risk of nonvaccination of rabies in owned dogs. The study indicated that husbandry practices, rabies knowledge, geographical area/location, and the ages of dogs were important factors associated with the risk of nonvaccination. High population turnover, together with large free roaming dog populations, compromised the levels of vaccination achieved and contributed to the persistence of dog rabies in the province. Dog owners in this study also reported that they were more likely to present their dogs for vaccination when the vaccines were free of charge (52%) and less than a kilometer from their homes (91%). It has been suggested that effective dog rabies control requires 70% or more of the dog population to be vaccinated. Our data showed that this figure was not reached in the surveyed dog population.

Improvement Control System of Rabies in Ukraine

Objective

The purpose of the research was to find out the reasons of rabies antropurgisation in Ukraine.

Introduction

In Ukraine in spite of considerable financial expenses on oral immunization of foxes and parenteral immunization of dogs and cats, it is not succeeded to reach considerable results in the fight with rabies. Unfortunately there was a negative tendency to increasing a part of dogs and cats in the structure of rabies disease which are the main source of rabies in people.

Methods

Analysis of 228 anamnesis data of rabies infected dogs during 2008–2012. Research of 234 samples of the blood serum from dogs on existence of antibodies to the rabies virus by the ELISA method.

Results

Analysis of animal morbidity on rabies in Ukraine in period of 2006–2011 found out the changes of structure of morbidity in animal species that means decreasing a part of wild animals (from 49,0 % in 2006 to 38,7 % in 2011) and increasing a part of dogs (from 18,3 % in 2006 to 23,2 % in 2011) and cats (from 19,8 % in 2006 to 25,0 % in 2011) in the general amount of animals which perished from rabies (Fig. 1).

A lot of Ukrainian scientists and doctors of veterinary medicine consider that the main reason of spreading the rabies is a great number of homeless animals which factually are the reservoirs of infection in towns and villages.

However, in our opinion spreading of rabies shows the insufficient level of measures of control of rabies among home animals. It was confirmed with conducted analysis that only 26 (12,9 %) dogs were stray, others 202 (87,1 %) had owners, but didn’t get necessary protective rabies vaccination.

According to Ukrainian instruction “Preventive measures against rabies of animals”, all the dogs must be vaccinated against rabies, but it actually appears it is quite not so.

At research of 234 samples of the blood serum of dogs on existence of antibodies to the rabies virus it was determined that the level of population immunity in dogs is 36,6 % in Ukrainian towns, but the protective level of antibodies was found in 9,1 % of village dogs. We consider that the main reason of this is imperfection of the Ukrainian legislation in the questions of responsibility of proprietors of animals.

For breaking of epizootic chain it is necessary the percent of vaccinated animals (in this case dogs) to be on a high level – more than 50%. Nowadays for reaching epidemic welfare in rabies it is important within the framework of the registered epidemic incidents dogs to be brought over to the ecocycles of infection sporadically without taking part in circulation of exciter, stay their biological deadlock and have low epidemic potential.

Conclusions

The conducted analysis expressly demonstrates that at present problems the eradication of rabies in Ukraine is impossible considering the low level of dogs’ protection from rabies. Obtained results were sent to the State committee of veterinary medicine of Ukraine and will be the argument for enhancement of control after conducting rabies vaccination of dogs.

Response to a rabies epidemic, Bali, Indonesia, 2008-2011

Emergency vaccinations and culling failed to contain an outbreak of rabies in Bali, Indonesia, during 2008-2009. Subsequent island-wide mass vaccination (reaching 70% coverage, >200,000 dogs) led to substantial declines in rabies incidence and spread. However, the incidence of dog bites remains high, and repeat campaigns are necessary to eliminate rabies in Bali.