Conference abstract
Case pattern of urban human rabies in Liberia: a descriptive and categorical analysis of age, gender and spatial distribution in Monrovia, Liberia, August - December, 2010
Pan African Medical Journal - Conference Proceedings. 2017:5(4).13
Dec 2017.
doi: 10.11604/pamj-cp.2017.5.4.533
Archived on: 13 Dec 2017
Contact the corresponding author
Keywords: Case pattern, human rabies, retrospective data, Liberia
Abstract
Case pattern of urban human rabies in Liberia: a descriptive and categorical analysis of age, gender and spatial distribution in Monrovia, Liberia, August - December, 2010
Ayodeji Olarinmoye1,2,3,&, Fahnboah Dakinah2,4, Babasola Olugasa1,2
1Centre for Control and Prevention of Zoonoses, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, 2Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, 3Engineer Abdullah Bugshan, Research Chair for Growth Factors and Bone Regeneration (GFBR), King Saudi University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 4Rabies Referral Clinic, 16th Street, Monrovia, Liberia
&Corresponding author
Ayodeji Olarinmoye, Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
Introduction: rabies is designated by the World Health Organization as a neglected disease in West Africa. Very few human cases have been reported in published literature on post-conflict in Liberia. We investigated the presence of dog-bite victims (DBV) and rabies involvement in Moronvia, Liberia.
Methods: a retrospective study of the records of the only Referral Clinic for Human Rabies (RCHR) post-exposure management and treatment of dog bite injuries in Monrovia, the capital city of Liberia over a 5 month period (August - December 2010) was conducted in this study. Data retrieved were classified into suspected, probable and confirmed cases based on the WHO guidelines. A descriptive and categorical analysis of age, gender and spatial distribution were computed to describe the occurrence of the disease. Thematic map of the distribution was designed using ArcGIS 10.1.
Results: a total of 138 DBV were presented to the RCHR over the 5 month period. On the average, it took 11.5 days (±51.7) before a DBV was presented for treatment at the clinic. About 104 of the human patients were considered probable cases of rabies. Human Diploid Cell Strain (HDCS) vaccine was used to vaccinate 88 of the patients in post-exposure prophylaxis. Classical rabies signs, including hydrophobia, delirium and fatal outcome were observed in 6 cases.
Conclusion: these findings provided evidence of high incidence of urban rabies in post-conflict Liberia. There is a critical need for more effective and efficient collaboration and humanitarian response in support of canine and human rabies control in Liberia.
