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TropicalMed
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Treatment and Risk Assessment of Rabies
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Treatment and Risk Assessment of Rabies

A special issue of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease (ISSN 2414-6366). This special issue belongs to the section "Infectious Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 April 2024) | Viewed by 2418

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Claude Sabeta

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa
Interests: veterinary epidemiology; evolution; lyssaviruses; diagnostics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Rabies is a neglected tropical disease that causes an estimated 59 000 human deaths every year, mainly in Africa and Asia, predominantly from exposure to rabid dogs. The COVID-19 pandemic had a major effect on rabies vaccination programmes in dogs and accessing post-exposure prophylaxis for bite victims, and many countries reported significant increases in both human and animal cases of rabies. The target set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) to eliminate dog-acquired human rabies by 2030 is achievable but will require a scale-up of dog vaccination campaigns and greater efforts for pre- and especially post-exposure prophylaxis in humans.  Limited veterinary services in many areas, especially rural areas, and the focus on veterinary diseases with an economic impact significantly hamper rabies vaccination programmes in dogs. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is dependent on the availability of expensive vaccines and rabies immune globulin (RIG) and demands complex regimens and correct administration and public and health worker knowledge. Efforts to simplify regimens and recommend cost- and dose-sparing intradermal vaccine administration prompted the 2018 WHO revision of the guidelines for the prevention of rabies in humans. The development of monoclonals to replace expensive and scarce RIG is progressing, but efficacy studies in Africa are lacking and are not easy to perform. Research and development for new vaccines that are thermo-tolerant and obviate the need for multiple dose regimens would significantly reduce costs and improve compliance with PEP.

The availability of diagnostic testing in animals has improved significantly with networks of veterinary laboratories (RabLab network). This has resulted in the introduction of newer approaches for sample collection and testing for lyssavirus antigen. The burden of rabies and confirmation of the disease in humans remains a challenge. The disease is significantly underrecognized, underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed, especially in countries with a high prevalence of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria and other viral causes of encephalitis with overlapping signs and symptoms. We highlight with concern the limited training on rabies and other zoonosis in medical curricula. Post-mortem sampling of brain tissues for confirmatory diagnosis is not simple, and specialized testing human health laboratories are very limited, particularly in Africa. A One Health approach to prevention is absolutely key, and this needs to be strengthened.

In this Special Issue on rabies, we welcome articles from all over the world and particularly from rabies-endemic areas of Africa and Asia. We welcome articles focusing on novel ways to empower communities in prevention, improve dog-vaccination coverage, diagnostics and any other related areas. The editorial team is composed of Dr Claude Sabeta from the University of Pretoria (Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Onderstepoort) and Professor Lucille Blumberg (of the National Institute of Communicable Diseases).

Prof. Dr. Claude Sabeta
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • prevention
  • exposure
  • dog-vaccination control
  • elimination
  • diagnostics
  • new biologicals
  • rabies burden
  • One Health

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 771 KiB  
Article
Detection and Serological Evidence of European Bat Lyssavirus 1 in Belgian Bats between 2016 and 2018
by Inne Nauwelaers, Claudia Van den Eynde, Sanne Terryn, Bob Vandendriessche, Wout Willems, Daan Dekeukeleire and Steven Van Gucht
Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2024, 9(7), 151; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed9070151 - 5 Jul 2024
Viewed by 284
Abstract
Lyssaviruses are neurotropic viruses capable of inducing fatal encephalitis. While rabies virus has been successfully eradicated in Belgium, the prevalence of other lyssaviruses remains uncertain. In this study, we conducted a survey on live animals and passive surveillance to investigate the presence of [...] Read more.
Lyssaviruses are neurotropic viruses capable of inducing fatal encephalitis. While rabies virus has been successfully eradicated in Belgium, the prevalence of other lyssaviruses remains uncertain. In this study, we conducted a survey on live animals and passive surveillance to investigate the presence of lyssaviruses in Belgium. In 2018, a total of 113 saliva samples and 87 blood samples were collected from bats. Saliva was subjected to RT-qPCR to identify lyssavirus infections. Additionally, an adapted lyssavirus neutralisation assay was set up for the detection of antibodies neutralising EBLV-1 in blood samples. Furthermore, we examined 124 brain tissue samples obtained from deceased bats during passive surveillance between 2016 and 2018. All saliva samples tested negative for lyssaviruses. Analysis of the blood samples uncovered the presence of lyssavirus-neutralising antibodies in five bat species and 32% of samples with a wide range depending on bat species, suggesting past exposure to a lyssavirus. Notably, EBLV-1 was detected in brain tissue samples from two Eptesicus serotinus specimens collected in 2016 near Bertrix and 2017 near Étalle, confirming for the first time the presence of EBLV-1 in Belgium and raising awareness of the potential risks associated with this species of bats as reservoirs of the virus. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Treatment and Risk Assessment of Rabies)
13 pages, 831 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Bait Acceptance and Immune Response in Local Dogs during an Oral Rabies Vaccination Field Study in Morocco
by Nadia Aboulfidaa, Florence Cliquet, Emmanuelle Robardet, Sami Darkaoui, Marine Wasniewski, Christian Kaiser, Katharina Bobe, Ad Vos and Ouafaa Fassi Fihri
Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2024, 9(7), 142; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed9070142 - 26 Jun 2024
Viewed by 693
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the bait preference of three selected bait types by local dogs and the induced immunogenicity of the oral rabies vaccine strain SPBN GASGAS in Morocco. The vaccine strain, combined with different bait types, has been [...] Read more.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the bait preference of three selected bait types by local dogs and the induced immunogenicity of the oral rabies vaccine strain SPBN GASGAS in Morocco. The vaccine strain, combined with different bait types, has been tested in many different settings, but not yet in northern Africa. Overall, bait consumption and preference were similar in other studies using the same materials (bait type and sachet). The intestine bait had the highest acceptance rate (97.6%, 95%CI: 87.4–99.9), followed by the egg bait (83.0%, 95%CI: 69.2–92.4). Only 52% (95%CI: 37.4–66.3) of the dogs showed an interest in the fish meal bait. However, considering the successful release of the contents of the sachet (blue-dyed water) into the oral cavity, the egg bait (65.7%, 95%CI: 47.8–80.9) scored better than the intestine bait (51.7%, 95%CI: 32.5–70.6). The dogs selected for the immunogenicity study were offered the egg bait containing a sachet filled with SPBN GASGAS (3.0 mL, 107.5 FFU/mL) or were given the same dose by direct oral administration (d.o.a.). In addition, several dogs were vaccinated by the parenteral route (s.c.) using a commercially available inactivated rabies vaccine. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent travel restrictions, it was not possible to collect blood samples directly after vaccination. The blood samples were collected pre-vaccination and on five occasions between 450 and 1088 days post vaccination. The seroconversion rate, as determined for rabies-virus-neutralizing antibodies by the FAVN test, was significantly lower than that found for binding antibodies, as determined by ELISA, for all blood samples collected post vaccination. No treatment effect (bait, d.o.a., s.c.) could be seen in the seroconversion rate. At 15 months post vaccination, 84.2% of the dogs offered vaccine bait still tested sero-positive in ELISA. Only after 3 years was a clear drop in the seroconversion rate observed in all three treatment groups. This study confirms the long-term immunogenicity of the oral rabies vaccine SPBN GASGAS in dogs under field conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Treatment and Risk Assessment of Rabies)
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23 pages, 7273 KiB  
Article
A Perspective of the Epidemiology of Rabies in South Africa, 1998–2019
by Ayla J. Malan, Andre Coetzer, Cayla Bosch, Nicolette Wright and Louis H. Nel
Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2024, 9(6), 122; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed9060122 - 22 May 2024
Viewed by 1064
Abstract
Despite the implementation of various control strategies aimed at eliminating canine-mediated rabies, the disease is still endemic in up to 150 countries across the world. Rabies remains endemic to South Africa, with various reservoir species (both wildlife species and domestic dogs) capable of [...] Read more.
Despite the implementation of various control strategies aimed at eliminating canine-mediated rabies, the disease is still endemic in up to 150 countries across the world. Rabies remains endemic to South Africa, with various reservoir species (both wildlife species and domestic dogs) capable of maintaining rabies infection, and the epidemiology of the disease is yet to be adequately defined. As such, this study used surveillance data collected between 1998 and 2019 from the two diagnostic laboratories in the country for a statistical space–time analysis to determine regions where significant disease clusters could occur. In addition, the robustness of surveillance activities across the country was evaluated through the mathematical evaluation and visualization of testing rates based on the average number of samples tested per species group. In our study, various significant disease clusters were detected for domestic animals, wildlife and livestock. The significant disease clusters for domestic animals and livestock were primarily restricted to eastern South Africa, while the significant disease clusters in wildlife species were detected across northern and western South Africa. Furthermore, the testing rates identified districts from various provinces where surveillance activities could be considered inadequate, consequently influencing the geographical range of the observed clusters. These results could be used to direct intervention campaigns towards high-risk areas, while also allocating the required resources to improve surveillance in the surrounding areas where surveillance was deemed inadequate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Treatment and Risk Assessment of Rabies)
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