Clinical Microbiology: Open Access

Deaths in human due to rabies and public health significance of rabies antigens in brain tissues of dogs slaughtered for human consumption in Nigeria

4^th International Conference on Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Genomics

October 05-07, 2015 Philadelphia, USA

Otolorin Gbeminiyi Richard

Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: Clin Microbiol

Abstract:

Rabies is a viral zoonotic disease that affects all warm blooded mammals, transmitted primarily by bites from rabid dogs. Rabies has the highest case fatality rate of most infectious disease in humans. Dog meat processing constitutes a great public health risk to dog handlers and butchers who may be exposed to rabies infection. This research takes a look at recorded cases of human deaths due to rabies across various health care institutions in Nigeria and a cross sectional study to detect the presence of rabies antigen in brain tissues of dogs slaughtered for human consumption in Aba, Abia state Nigeria. A total of 185 dog brains were tested for rabies antigen by direct fluorescent antibody technique, out of which 13 samples (7.0%) were positive for rabies antigen. The detection of rabies antigen in the brain tissue of apparently healthy dogs slaughtered for human consumption in Abia state and other states in Nigeria has given an indication of the endemicity of the disease and the public health risk it poses. Result of human deaths due to rabies obtained from 10 states in Nigeria, gave a total of 78 deaths due to rabies. Under-reporting and misdiagnosis are a major factor that contributes to poor records of the devastating effect of the disease to humans in Nigeria. The relative high dog to human ratio and low vaccination coverage of owned dogs�?? population pose public health concerns requiring adequate public health education and proper anti-rabies vaccination coverage of dogs in the country to control the disease within the dog population.

Biography :

Email: drniyiotolorin@yahoo.com