Conference abstract
Detection of dog bite cluster alarms and annual human deaths due to rabies in three selected cities of Liberia, 2008-2013
Pan African Medical Journal - Conference Proceedings. 2018:10(1).23
Nov 2018.
doi: 10.11604/pamj-cp.2018.10.1.805
Archived on: 23 Nov 2018
Contact the corresponding author
Keywords: Dog bite Victim, Rabies, Spatio-temporal cluster
Oral presentation
Detection of dog bite cluster alarms and annual human deaths due to rabies in three selected cities of Liberia, 2008-2013
Nykoi Dormon Jomah1,2,3, Olayinka Olabisi Ishola3, Babasola Oluseyi Olugasa2,3,&
1Central Agricultural Research Institute, Suakoko, Bong County, Liberia, 2Centre for Control and Prevention of Zoonoses, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, 3Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
&Corresponding author
Babasola Oluseyi Olugasa, Center for Control and Prevention of Zoonoses, University of Ibadan, 101 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Farm Road, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
Introduction: rabies remains a public health challenge of unknown magnitude in post-conflict Liberia. Dog bite victims (DBV), rabies induced annual human deaths (AHD) and spatio-temporal pattern of DBVs were determined in three selected cities of Liberia.
Methods: six-year retrospective records of DBVs were sourced from three major county hospital hosting cities, namely; Liberia Government Hospital, Buchanan City; Phebe Hospital and Nursing School, Gbarnga City and Tellowayan Memorial Hospital, Voinjama City. Victims were categorized into suspected, probable and confirmed rabies exposures based on WHO guidelines. Site names of DBV were converted to map points using standardized satellite imagery and key informant interview. A standardized clinical probabilistic decision tree model was used to estimate AHD due to rabies, 2008-2013. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square and Kulldorff's spatio-temporal scan statistics at α0.05.
Results: suspected rabies exposed DBV were 259 (Buchanan), 69 (Gbarnga) and 64 (Voinjama); probable exposures were 65, 15 and 9 in the three cities, respectively. Non-exposed DBV were 6, 1 and 0 in the three cities respectively. Mean AHDs were 29 ± 32 (Buchanan), 10 ± 7 (Gbarnga) and 9 ± 7 (Voinjama). Space-time cluster of DBVs (RR = 5.3, OR = 8.2) with 0.1km radius was identified in Buchanan, and (RR = 7.4, OR = 8.2); 0.6km radius (Gbarnga), but spatio-temporally diffused in Voinjama (p = 0.338).
Conclusion: spatial patterns of dog bite cluster alarms and hotspots of rabies exposure were established in the three selected cities. The high rate of annual human deaths due to rabies in Buchanan, Gbarnga and Voinjama cities were associated with default in post-exposure-prophylaxis.
