Last saved 139 days ago

Rabies_en_abstr_24

robot
knowt logo

Rabies_en_abstr_24

Rabies Overview

Author: Tadeusz Frymus, 2024Intended Audience: 5th year students of the Faculty of Veterinary MedicineCopyright Notice: Document is protected under Polish copyright law and is for educational purposes only.


Page 2: Rabies in the World

  • Global Issue

    • Despite effective vaccines for over 100 years, rabies remains a worldwide problem.

    • Only a few isolated regions, primarily islands, are rabies-free.


Page 3: Rabies Statistics

  • Human Impact

    • Over 55,000 deaths annually due to rabies.

    • Economic burden estimated at $3 billion per year.

    • A child dies from rabies every 10 minutes.

  • Animal Reservoirs

    • In tropical regions, dogs are the primary reservoir.

    • Over 95% of human cases are linked to dog bites.

  • Prevention

    • Rabies is easily preventable in both animals and humans, with millions vaccinated yearly.

    • Control measures are inconsistent across different regions, leading to an increase in deaths.


Page 4: Etiology

  • Virus Characteristics

    • Family: Rhabdoviridae, Genus: Lyssavirus.

    • Sensitive to environmental conditions; inactivated quickly outside the host.

    • New strains can emerge from bats, which can transmit to carnivores.


Page 5: Lyssavirus Species

  • Key Species

    • RABV is the most significant worldwide, transmitted by carnivores and bats.

    • In Poland, RABV and EBL1 are present.

    • All species can induce rabies in mammals; vaccines primarily contain RABV.


Page 6: Epidemiology

  • Involved Orders

    • Bats (Chiroptera) and carnivores are the main carriers of rabies.


Page 7: Rabies in Dogs and Wildlife

  • Regional Variations

    • In tropical areas, dogs account for 75% of human rabies cases.

    • In temperate climates, wild animals like foxes and raccoons are significant reservoirs.

    • Bat rabies has been a concern in South America, Africa, and now in the USA and Europe.


Page 8: Rabies from Bats

  • Transmission Risks

    • Even suckling bats can be rabid.

    • Human infections often occur indoors and may not involve direct bites.


Page 10: Signs of Rabies in Bats

  • Behavioral Indicators

    • Atypical daytime activity, inability to fly, and oversensitivity to stimuli.

    • Physical signs include dirty mouths and inability to swallow.


Page 12: Rabies in Poland

  • Historical Context

    • Rabies has been present for ages; post-WWII saw thousands of cases, primarily in dogs.

    • Mandatory dog vaccination led to a decrease in dog cases but an increase in fox cases.


Page 13: Rabies Cases in Poland (1992-2019)

  • Trends

    • Significant decline in animal rabies cases following vaccination programs, particularly in foxes.


Page 14: Challenges in Eradication

  • Current Issues

    • Increased fox populations and rabid raccoon-dogs complicate eradication efforts.


Page 16: Animal Rabies in Europe (2022)

  • Statistics

    • Total reported cases: 739, with a significant percentage in domestic animals.


Page 17: Illegal Importation Risks

  • Threat to Rabies-Free Countries

    • Illegal importation of pets poses a constant threat, leading to local outbreaks.

    • Historical examples include Spain and France losing rabies-free status due to illegal imports.


Page 19: Transmission of Rabies

  • Infection Pathways

    • The virus is primarily excreted in saliva; biting is the main transmission route.


Page 20: Pathogenesis

  • Virus Behavior

    • No viremia; the virus travels through axons, leading to variable incubation periods.

    • Primarily replicates in neurons without causing cell lysis.


Page 22: Acquired Immunity

  • Vaccination Effects

    • Vaccination leads to long-lasting immunity; neutralizing antibodies prevent the virus from reaching the brain.


Page 24: Laboratory Diagnostics

  • Testing Methods

    • Diagnosis in living animals is not possible; brain antigen detection is the best method.


Page 26: Principles of Rabies Control

  • Control Measures

    • Government-led culling or isolation of rabid animals.

    • Oral vaccination programs for wildlife and vaccination of domestic pets.


Page 28: Role of Veterinarians

  • Public Health Protection

    • Vets play a crucial role in rabies prevention through education and vaccination.


Page 29: Vaccination of Domestic Animals

  • Regulations in Poland

    • Mandatory annual vaccination for dogs; voluntary for other species.

    • Inactivated virus vaccines are safe and effective.


Page 31: Special Vaccine for Cats

  • Innovative Solutions

    • PUREVAX R is a non-adjuvanted vaccine designed to reduce the risk of post-injection sarcomas.


Page 32: Vaccination of Foxes

  • Oral Vaccination

    • Millions of doses of live, attenuated RABV have been used, leading to significant declines in terrestrial rabies in