An introduction to Rabies (Hydrophobia)
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Dr Asem Suresh Kumar Meitei
Contd from previous issue
For prevention and control of rabies in a country like India where dog is the most important vector, the following measures of restraint and control should be applied, when rabies has made its appearance.
1) Destruction of all rabid dogs, and the seizure of all biting dogs or of dogs suspected of being infected. These should be placed in quarantine under proper veterinary supervision for at least two weeks. If symptoms of rabies become manifest the affecting dog should be destroyed and its head or brain be submitted for laboratory examination.
Ø The seizure and destruction of all other wandering and ownerless dogs.
Ø Stray dog control and euthanasia of unvaccinated dogs with low levels of dependency on, or restriction by, people
Ø The compulsory vaccination of all other dogs with a reliable and potent vaccine.
Ø During the period immunization and as long as rabies prevails all dogs should be muzzled and confined to their respective homes.
Ø The registration of all dogs and the imposition of a dog tax in order to defray part of the expenses associated with the application of the control measures.
Ø Dogs known to have been exposed to rabies must be either destroyed or placed under veterinary observations in quarantine for a period of at last six months.
Ø The importation of dogs should not be permitted unless arrangements can be made for their confinement in quarantine under veterinary supervision for a period of not less than six months.
Ø Dogs under six months old are particularly susceptible and are not readily immunizable, and should, therefore be kept under strict supervision until the area is free from rabies.
For farm animals, there are two useful control techniques: (1) Prevention of exposure: It can be achieved to a degree by destruction of wild fauna, muzzling, restraint of all cats and dogs and keeping farm animals indoors.
(2) Vaccination: Especially Mass immunization of dogs by campaigns and by continuing vaccination of young dogs in particular, as well as vaccination of all cats and dogs is in general are the important one..
Where the risk of rabies is great consideration must be given to mass vaccination of wildlife by baits, because wildlife is the cracks in the defence armour. The use of combined vaccine containing rabies vaccine with a lot of other vaccines used in dogs would be an effective panic-free way of increasing the immune status of the pet population.
No parenteral vaccine is licensed for wildlife; however, use in captive or free-ranging species has occurred on a case-by-case basis for prophylaxis in zoos or to augment control in the field, respectively. Protective immunity and efficacy from the commer- cially available vaccines for domestic species have not been definitively demonstrated in all wildlife species.
Historically, the control of rabies in wildlife populations relied on population reduction to decrease the contact rate between susceptible animals; however, this proved difficult and often not publicly acceptable, ecologically sound, economically warranted, or programmatically effective.
The writer is ex- Chief Technical Officer (Veterinary Science), ICAR for NEHR
Contd from previous issue
For prevention and control of rabies in a country like India where dog is the most important vector, the following measures of restraint and control should be applied, when rabies has made its appearance.
1) Destruction of all rabid dogs, and the seizure of all biting dogs or of dogs suspected of being infected. These should be placed in quarantine under proper veterinary supervision for at least two weeks. If symptoms of rabies become manifest the affecting dog should be destroyed and its head or brain be submitted for laboratory examination.
Ø The seizure and destruction of all other wandering and ownerless dogs.
Ø Stray dog control and euthanasia of unvaccinated dogs with low levels of dependency on, or restriction by, people
Ø The compulsory vaccination of all other dogs with a reliable and potent vaccine.
Ø During the period immunization and as long as rabies prevails all dogs should be muzzled and confined to their respective homes.
Ø The registration of all dogs and the imposition of a dog tax in order to defray part of the expenses associated with the application of the control measures.
Ø Dogs known to have been exposed to rabies must be either destroyed or placed under veterinary observations in quarantine for a period of at last six months.
Ø The importation of dogs should not be permitted unless arrangements can be made for their confinement in quarantine under veterinary supervision for a period of not less than six months.
Ø Dogs under six months old are particularly susceptible and are not readily immunizable, and should, therefore be kept under strict supervision until the area is free from rabies.
For farm animals, there are two useful control techniques: (1) Prevention of exposure: It can be achieved to a degree by destruction of wild fauna, muzzling, restraint of all cats and dogs and keeping farm animals indoors.
(2) Vaccination: Especially Mass immunization of dogs by campaigns and by continuing vaccination of young dogs in particular, as well as vaccination of all cats and dogs is in general are the important one..
Where the risk of rabies is great consideration must be given to mass vaccination of wildlife by baits, because wildlife is the cracks in the defence armour. The use of combined vaccine containing rabies vaccine with a lot of other vaccines used in dogs would be an effective panic-free way of increasing the immune status of the pet population.
No parenteral vaccine is licensed for wildlife; however, use in captive or free-ranging species has occurred on a case-by-case basis for prophylaxis in zoos or to augment control in the field, respectively. Protective immunity and efficacy from the commer- cially available vaccines for domestic species have not been definitively demonstrated in all wildlife species.
Historically, the control of rabies in wildlife populations relied on population reduction to decrease the contact rate between susceptible animals; however, this proved difficult and often not publicly acceptable, ecologically sound, economically warranted, or programmatically effective.
The writer is ex- Chief Technical Officer (Veterinary Science), ICAR for NEHR