Conference abstract
Antibody levels against rabies among domestic dogs in three selected cities of Liberia, 2015
Pan African Medical Journal - Conference Proceedings. 2019:10(7).19
Feb 2019.
doi: 10.11604/pamj-cp.2019.10.7.808
Archived on: 19 Feb 2019
Contact the corresponding author
Keywords: Antibody, seroconversion, ELISA, spatial distribution, Liberia
Plenary
Antibody levels against rabies among domestic dogs in three selected cities of Liberia, 2015
Nykoi Jomah1,2,3, Olayinka Ishola2,3, Babasola Olugasa2,3,&
1Central Agricultural Research Institute, Suakoko, Bong County, Liberia, 2Centre for Control and Prevention of Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, 3Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
&Corresponding author
Babasola Olugasa, Centre for Control and Prevention of Zoonoses, 101 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Main Building, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
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 patternof 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 withhigh annual human rabies deaths. These were indicative of a critical need for more effective rabies surveillance, control and prevention strategies.
