Conference abstract
Antibody levels against rabies among domestic dogs in three selected cities of Liberia, 2015
Pan African Medical Journal - Conference Proceedings. 2018:10(2).30
Nov 2018.
doi: 10.11604/pamj-cp.2018.10.2.804
Archived on: 30 Nov 2018
Contact the corresponding author
Keywords: Antibody, seroconversion, ELISA, spatial distribution, Liberia
Oral presentation
Antibody levels against rabies among domestic dogs in three selected cities of Liberia, 2015
Nykoi Dormon Jomah1,2,3,&, Olayinka Olabisi Ishola2,3, 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
Nykoi Dormon Jomah, Central Agricultural Research Institute, Suakoko, Bong County, Liberia
Introduction: rabies remains a fatal disease of public health challenge in post-conflict Liberia. Although the disease is vaccine preventable, availability of rabies vaccines for use in dogs is limited in Liberia. The objective of this study was to determine vaccination status and level of seroconversion against rabies among domestic dogs in three selected cities of Liberia.
Methods: using 3-stage random sampling, sera were collected in July and August, 2015 from 210 apparently healthy dogs in Buchanan (n = 70), Gbarnga (n = 68) and Voinjama (n = 72) cities. The sera were tested using quantitative indirect ELISA to determine rabies anti-glycoprotein antibody levels. Antibody levels ≥ 0.5 eu/mL were considered protective. Residential site names and site names of other locations where dogs were captured and blood specimens collected were converted to map points using standardized handheld global positioning system. The generated map points were used to model spatial patterns of rabies immunity among dogs in the cities. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square and purely space scan statistics at α0.05.
Results: anti-rabies sero-prevalence was 12.9%, 11.8% and 13.9% in Buchanan, Gbarnga and Voinjama, respectively. There were no significant differences in antibody levels between confined, free-roaming and stray dogs in the cities. Spatial pattern of un-protective immunity among dogs was diffuse in each of the selected cities.
Conclusion: low anti-rabies immunity among domestic dogs in Buchanan, Gbarnga and Voinjama cities were concurrent with high annual human rabies deaths. These were indicative of a critical need for more effective rabies surveillance, control and prevention strategies.
