RABIES IN SOUTH ASIA - EPIDEMIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS

1. RABIES IN SOUTH ASIA- EPIDEMIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS C.K.Singh and B.S. Sandhu Rabies Research-cum-Diagnostic Laboratory, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana , Punjab, INDIA rabiesck@gmail.com

2. Talking from highest prevalence of rabies in Eurasia • More than 20,000 human deaths occur every year • 17.4 million humans are bitten by dogs in India every year • Over Rs. 1200 crores are spent annually on post bite vaccination assuming about half of the exposed do not get PET • Over 15 Crores is spent on PET in farm animals

3. The Study • The study was conducted on brain tissues collected from a total of 356 animals including 231 dogs, 79 buffaloes and 46 cows. • The brain tissues of only those animals that were suspected to be suffering from rabies clinically were included in this study.

10. Impression smear from hippocampus of a rabid dog showing magenta colored intracellular Negri body (arrow) in a neuron. Seller’s stain x875

11. Section of Hippocampus of a rabid dog showingintra-cytoplasmic eosinophilic Negri bodies ( arrows )in neurons. H&E x875

12. Incidence in animals • SuspectedConfirmed • 356 201 • 231 dogs 128 dogs • 79 buffaloes 44 buffaloes • 46 cows 29 cows

13. Initial Signs of Rabies • Rabid Dogs • About half the rabid dogs go off feed & show change in behavior few exhibit fever. Ocular involvement is rare. • Rabid Cows • Almost every rabid cow goes off feed and about half the rabid cows exhibit fever. Few rabid cows exhibit ocular involvement . • Rabid Buffaloes • Majority of rabid buffaloes go off feed and more than half exhibit fever. Majority of buffaloes show ocular involvement .

16. Most susceptible Age/Sex • Incidence in higher in adult dogs (>3 Yrs.) and pups (<6 M). The incidence is minimum in 6 M to 3 Years dogs. • The higher incidence of rabies in male dogs is largely due to their gregarious wandering and furious nature especially during breeding season.

17. Signs & Symptoms -Dogs v/s Bovines • Only 24 percent rabid dogs show hyper salivation that is characteristic for bovines. So, Veterinarian need not look for clinical hypersalivation while suspecting dog rabies. • Only 30 % rabid dogs show paralysis . Paralysis is not necessarily the end sign in dogs.

20. Signs & Symptoms -Dogs v/s Bovines • About half of the rabid dogs continue to recognize their owner • Most rabid cows and buffaloes fail to recognize their owners

21. Signs & Symptoms -Dogs v/s Bovines • More than half (61%) of all rabid animals show aggressive behavior. Majority of aggressive rabid dogs inflict bite wounds to humans and/or other animals. • Aggression of bovines is limited to inflicting trauma to themselves. No rabid bovine ever bites other animals and/or humans.

26. Bovines - SimilarityBellowing in Bovines • Majority of both cows and buffaloes (66%) reveal prolonged and prominent fits of loud bellowing

28. Bovines - Differences Drooling Saliva -32% v/s 86% • Drooling saliva is often reported as the characteristic feature in rabies in bovines • It was found that hyper salivation was exhibited by less than half (32%) of rabid buffaloes • However, hyper salivation was more commonly exhibited (86%) by rabid cows.

32. Bovines - Differences Micturition in Bovines • Rabid Cows • Reveal frequent micturition • Rabid Buffaloes • Frequent micturition is not common in buffaloes

35. Month-wise Incidence • Increased incidence in dogs was reported during January, February, July and November. • Increased incidence in buffaloes was observed during January to March • Increased incidence in cattle was observed during March, April, June, August, October and November

36. Major Area of Concern • 78% of owned rabid dogs were not vaccinated prophylactically. • There is high incidence of rabies in owned/community dogs.

37. Merci

38. Characteristics of rabid dogs

39. Characteristics of rabid cows

40. Characteristics of rabid buffaloes