Browsing by Author "Reta Tesfaye"

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    Epidemiology of Rabies in Ethiopia and Evaluation of the Rapid Immunodiagnostic Test Kit for Rabies Diadnosis
    (Addis Ababa University, 2011-12-01) Reta Tesfaye; Teshale Sori
    The aims of this study were to investigate the epidemiology of rabies in humans and animals and to evaluate the diagnostic performances of the Anigen Rapid Rabies Ag Test Kit. Retrospective data of 2008-20 II and 20091l 0 were used to analyze rabies in animals and humans, respectively, mainly in and around Addis Ababa. A questionnaire was developed and used to get additional epidemiological information during the study period (March to September, 2011). A total of 935 brain samples were examined during 2008-20 II. Of this total number, 77.6% (N=726) samples were positive for rabies. The highest proportion, 87.2% (N=633) of the positive cases was recorded in dogs followed by cats, 5.1 % (N=37). The frequencies of occurrence of rabies in other species were very limited. This showed that dogs remain the dominant species in maintenance and transmission of rabies to humans and other animals in Ethiopia. Further analysis of characteristics of rabid dogs showed that owned, adult, non-vaccinated, male dogs were most frequently diagnosed positive for rabies virus. Furious form of rabies was the most commonly reported form of the disease in rabid dogs. Rabies cases were reported throughout the year with slight variations among the months of the year. Its occurrence showed variation among administrative regions depending on their distance from the laboratory. A total of 2345 people received post-exposure prophylaxis in 20 I 0/20 II against rabies due to exposure to rabid or rabies suspected animals and humans. The greater proportion of post-exposure prophylaxis was given to humans exposed to rabid or rabies suspected dogs. Fermi type vaccine was the most common, 81% (1887/2337), vaccine type used for post-exposure prophylaxis. The majority, 72.3% (165312286), of the post- exposure prophylaxis was given to humans bitten by animals with an unknown rabies status. The mean number of exposed humans per rabid animal was about 3 with a range of 0 to 15 persons. The gold standard test for rabies diagnosis is the fluorescent antibody test, requiring a fluorescent microscope and additional laboratory equipment. Recently, a rapid and easy immunodiagnostic test was developed which needs no specialized laboratory equipment and needs less expertise. Anigen Rapid Rabies Ag Test Kit was evaluated using 115 brain samples collected from dogs, cats and bovines. The sensitivity and specificity of the rapid immunodiagnostic test were 96.5 (95% CI: 90.0 - 99.3%) and 100% (95% CI: 88.4 - 100%), respectively compared to the fluorescent antibody test. This test could be useful for field use particularly in rabies surveillance and also for targeted post-exposure prophylaxis where the standard test is not available. Strategy for control and elimination of rabies should be in place and implemented in Ethiopia. Furthermore, the rapid immunodiagnostic test kit should be evaluated at larger scale using samples from different species of animals. Strategies for the application of the rapid immunodiagnostic test for the improvement of rabies surveillance and subsequent post exposure prophylaxis should also be studied