Predictive qualitative risk model of bovine rabies occurrence in Brazil

Bovine rabies remains endemic in Brazil and despite control efforts, the disease still spreads insidiously. The main vector is the hematophagous bat, Desmodus rotundus. The present work aimed to create a predictive qualitative model of the occurrence of bovine rabies in each municipality in 25 of the 27 Brazilian States. The risk of rabies transmission from bats to bovine was estimated using decision-tree models of receptivity and vulnerability. Questionnaires, which covered a number of questions related to the surveillance of possible risk factors, such as bovine rabies outbreaks in the previous year, the presence of bat roosts, bat rabies positivity and environmental changes, were sent to the local veterinary units of each State. The bovine density and geomorphologic features were obtained from national databases and geographic information systems. Of the 433 municipalities presenting bovine rabies outbreaks in 2010, 178 (41.1%) were classified by the model as high risk, 212 (49.0%) were classified as moderate risk, 25 (5.8%) were classified as low risk, whereas the risk was undetermined in 18 municipalities (4.1%). An ROC curve was built to determine if the risk evaluated by the model could adequately discriminate between municipalities with and without rabies occurrence in future years. The risk estimator for the year 2011 was classified as moderately accurate. In the future, these models could allow the targeting of rabies control efforts, with the adoption of control measures directed to the higher risk locations and the optimization of the field veterinary staff deployment throughout the country. Additionally, efforts must be made to encourage continuous surveillance of risk factors.     

A retrospective study of wildlife rabies in Zimbabwe,between 1992 and 2003

To assess the epidemiological features of wildlife rabies in Zimbabwe, a retrospective study covering a period of 12 years (1992–2003) was conducted using rabies records of the Central Veterinary Laboratories (CVL), Department of Veterinary Technical Services at Harare. Records of monthly and annual wildlife rabies were perused with regard to total samples submitted to the CVL and corresponding positive cases. Positive cases were analyzed in relation to the animal species involved, seasonal trends, and land-use categories. A total of 2107 samples were submitted and 1 540 (73.1%) were positive. Jackals (Canis mesomelas and C. adustus), with a peak occurrence of rabies between January and March were the major maintenance host, representing approximately 91% of the total rabies cases confirmed. The Canidae family recorded the highest number of cases followed by the Viverridae, Mustelidae, Felidae, Herpestidae and Hyaenidae families in that order. During the present study rabies cases were confirmed in 7 additional wild animals. The majority of the positive cases (83.7%) were recorded in commercial farming areas in the northeast parts of the country.     

Salmonella isolated from animals and feedstuffs in Sweden during 1983-1987.

This survey describes the frequency of Salmonella in animals and feedstuffs isolated in Sweden 1983-1987. Since 1949 National Veterinary Institute (NVI) has published such reports every fifth year. During the period of this report 760 outbreaks of Salmonella were reported in animals. This includes both domestic and wild animals. The corresponding figure for the previous period was 1266 outbreaks. 56 different serovariants were reported, 17 of these were new to Sweden. In cattle and swine there were a decrease of outbreaks. In poultry 86 outbreaks were reported, compared with 220 outbreaks during the previous five-year period. Swedish feed producing plants are checked both voluntary and compulsory, for the presence of Salmonella in raw materials, scrape and dust samples and compound feed. During 1983-1987 a total of 236 strains at Salmonella were isolated. This is the lowest incidence found during the last 15 years. All consignments of feedstuffs of animal origin intended for import to Sweden has to be examined for the presence of Salmonella. During 1983-1987 8.6% of the consignments were positive for Salmonella and were thus not allowed to be used in Sweden.     

Epidemiological pattern of dog bites and the occurrence of rabies in humans within Srinagar district of Kashmir Valley,India

Men’s dominant ally, best defense defendant, therefore, the pre-eminent peril detector, dogs became a threat for the humanity inflicting a fatal disease of rabies. Dog bites and open garbage dumps became additional and apparent and are serious and sometimes underestimated public health dilemma in the Kashmir region. The aesthetic, primarily health care and psycho-sociological consequences of trauma caused by a dog bites repeatedly burden the standard of lifetime pertaining to the affected persons and their family. The present study was carried in Srinagar district. Diverse sampling plan / data collection strategies were formulated to fulfill the set of objectives. To assess the epidemiological pattern, secondary source of information viz. Shri Maharaja Hari Singh hospital, which shouldered the relevant cases, was utilized. Further, people perception of the subject was assessed using a predesigned interview schedule from respondents selected by appropriate methods. West zone had recorded the highest number of cases (28.95 %), then the south zone, followed by the north zone and the east zone. Majority victims were males (74.27 %) followed by females (25.72 %) [χ² = 4.442, p = 0.219). Most of them belonged to 30−40 (26.88 %) year old groups, followed by 20−30 (22.36 %), 10−20 (16.03 %) and so on. The time of exposure of victims was evening (62.90 %) [χ² = 30.342, p = 0.001]. The bulk number of cases had bite on legs (56.60 %). Majority had category 3 bites (70.16 %) and the majority had received immunoglobin (82.85 %) [χ² = 29.56, p = 0.001]. The summer season (29.30 %) had also recorded the highest number of cases followed by autumn season (27.82 %) irrespective of each determinant. The Anti rabies clinic of SMHS has also recorded two rabies deaths during this period. The majority people (72.50 %) were illiterate and belonging to lower sections of society. About all those diseases that attack humans, rabies is an example of the best known in Srinagar. Its notoriety is peculiar when assessed on its influence medially, on humans who are belonging to the susceptible divisions of the society due to lack of discernment. The lack of complete perception might decipher into higher mortality linked to rabies.     

Molecular evolutionary analysis reveals Arctic-like rabies viruses evolved and dispersed independently in North and South Asia

BackgroundArctic-like (AL) lineages of rabies viruses (RABVs) remains endemic in some Arctic and Asia countries. However, their evolutionary dynamics are largely unappreciated.ObjectivesWe attempted to estimate the evolutionary history, geographic origin and spread of the Arctic-related RABVs.MethodsFull length or partial sequences of the N and G genes were used to infer the evolutionary aspects of AL RABVs by Bayesian evolutionary analysis.ResultsThe most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) of the current Arctic and AL RABVs emerged in the 1830s and evolved independently after diversification. Population demographic analysis indicated that the viruses experienced gradual growth followed by a sudden decrease in its population size from the mid-1980s to approximately 2000. Genetic flow patterns among the regions reveal a high geographic correlation in AL RABVs transmission. Discrete phylogeography suggests that the geographic origin of the AL RABVs was in east Russia in approximately the 1830s. The ancestral AL RABV then diversified and immigrated to the countries in Northeast Asia, while the viruses in South Asia were dispersed to the neighboring regions from India. The N and G genes of RABVs in both clades sustained high levels of purifying selection, and the positive selection sites were mainly found on the C-terminus of the G gene.ConclusionsThe current AL RABVs circulating in South and North Asia evolved and dispersed independently.     

2008～2011年眉山市狂犬病流行病学调查及分析

为了分析眉山市狂犬病流行特点,提出防控对策,控制狂犬病发生,笔者针对眉山市及所辖区县上报的2008～2011年狂犬病临床病例进行了流行病学调查与分析。     

三株广西狂犬病病毒NS基因和M基因的克隆与序列分析

本研究设计了一对特异性引物NSM1/NSM2,对三株广西狂犬病病毒NS和M基因同时进行了RT_PCR扩增、克隆和测序。同源性分析表明,三株广西野毒NS基因核苷酸同源性为87.2%~98.4%,M基因核苷酸同源性为90.1%~99.7%;与固定毒和狂犬病相关病毒比较,NS基因分别为79.9%~82.8%和69.7%~71.0%;M基因的分别为82.8%~87.8%和75.0%~77.8%。三株野毒NS基因氨基酸同源性为93.3%~98.7%,M基因氨基酸同源性分别为97.5%~100%。表明广西各地毒株之间亲缘关系不同,但最为相近;与狂犬病固定毒株亲缘关系较远;与狂犬病相关病毒亲缘关系最远。     

Isolation and characterization of influenza A virus (subtype H5N1) that caused the first highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak in chicken in Bhutan

We characterized Influenza A/H5N1 virus that caused the first outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in chickens in Bhutan in 2010. The virus was highly virulent to chicken, killing them within two days of the experimental inoculation with an intravenous pathogenicity index (IVPI) of 2.88. For genetic and phylogenetic analyses, complete genome sequencing of 4 viral isolates was carried out. The isolates revealed multiple basic amino acids at their hemagglutinin (HA) cleavage site, similar to other "Qinghai-like" H5N1 isolates. The receptor-binding site of HA molecule contained avian-like amino acids ((222)Q and (224)G). The isolates also contained amino acid residue K at position 627 of the PB2 protein, and other markers in NS 1 and PB1 proteins, highlighting the risk to mammals. However, the isolates were sensitive to influenza drugs presently available in the market. The sequence analysis indicated that the Bhutan viruses shared 99.1-100% nucleotide homology in all the eight genes among themselves and 2010 chicken isolate from Bangladesh (A/chicken/Bangladesh/1151-11/2010) indicating common progenitor virus. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the Bhutan isolates belonged to sub-clade 2.2.3 (EMA 3) and shared common progenitor virus with the 2010 Bangladesh virus. Based on the evidence of phylogeny and molecular markers, it could be concluded that the outbreaks in Bhutan and Bangladesh in 2010 were due to independent introductions of the virus probably through migratory birds.     

Milk protein polymorphisms in cattle (Bos indicus), mithun (Bos frontalis) and yak (Bos grunniens) breeds and their hybrids indigenous to Bhutan

In the current study, milk protein variation was examined in cattle (Bos indicus), mithun (Bos frontalis), yak (Bos grunniens) and their hybrid populations in Bhutan to estimate genetic variability, conduct genetic characterization and assess the possibility of gene flow between mithun and cattle. Isoelectric focusing of 372 milk samples from 11 populations detected four molecular types of β‐lactoglobulin (A, B, E and M), five molecular types of α_S1‐casein (A, B, C, E and X) and three molecular types of k‐casein (A, B and X). Mithun and yak shared alleles but were found to exhibit different allele frequencies for the proteins studied. The degree of genetic variability within populations was measured by average heterozygosity and ranged from 24–40% in cattle, 26% for yak and 33% for mithun. We also resolved the traditional mithun and cattle hybridization system via principal component analysis. Our results suggested secondary introgression of mithun genes to the village Thrabum population, and a close genetic relationship between Bhutanese indigenous cattle and Indian cattle.     

镇江市2008年兽用狂犬病疫苗免疫效果观察

为评价镇江市家犬兽用狂犬病疫苗的免疫效果,探讨影响免疫效果的因素,采集镇江市不同地区免疫犬和非免疫犬只的血清样本,ELISA法测定其抗体产生情况。结果表明,镇江市总的免疫犬只抗体阳性率为34．53％（67／194）;不同地区犬只抗体阳性率差异显著（χ2 =23．743,P=O．000）;犬只的免疫3剂次及以上与3剂次以...     

百色市狂犬病综合防治措施的效果评价

为有效防控狂犬病,百色市开展疫情专项调查和防治研究,发现狂犬病病死率和死亡人数仍居人类各种法定报告传染病之首,死亡人数与动物发病数呈正相关关系;监测貌似健康犬狂犬病带毒率为1.9%,流行毒株属基因Ⅰ型,Ⅰ亚群;使用国产兽用狂犬病活疫苗（FlurryHEP株）免疫期为半年,注射进口兽用狂犬病灭活疫苗（PV株）免疫有效期为一年;“专题讲座＋发送短息”宣传方式效果好;采取“栓养、免疫、监测、扑灭、宣传”等综合防治措施效果显著。     

Persistence of elevated rabies prevention costs following post-epizootic declines in rates of rabies among raccoons (Procyon lotor)

Determining the benefits to cost relationships among different approaches to rabies control and prevention has been hindered by the inherent temporal variability in the dynamics of disease among wildlife reservoir hosts and a tangible and objective measure of the cost of rabies prevention. A major and unavoidable component of rabies prevention programs involves diagnostic testing of animals and the subsequent initiation of appropriate public health responses. The unit cost per negative and positive diagnostic test outcome can be reasonably estimated. This metric when linked to methodologies subdividing the epizootic process into distinct temporal stages provided the requisite detail to estimate benefits derived from rabies control strategies. Oral rabies vaccine (ORV), for prevention of the raccoon-associated variant of rabies, has been distributed in Ohio and adjoining states in an effort to develop an immune barrier to the westward spread of epizootic raccoon rabies. The costs of ORV delivery have been quantified. Herein, the cost structures required to assess the benefits accrued by prevention were developed. A regression model was developed effectively predicting (r² = 0.70) the total number of rabies diagnostic tests performed by 53 counties in five northeastern (NE) states from 1992 to 2001. Five temporal stages sufficed to capture the range of variability in the raccoon rabies epizootic process. Unit costs, dollars per diagnostic test outcome, were calculated for negative and positive results from published reports. Ohio counties were matched to NE counties based on similar socioeconomic characters. A “pseudo-epizootic” of raccoon rabies was introduced into Ohio and the costs savings from ORV were derived as the excess costs imposed by epizootic spread throughout the state. At 46 km/year (range modeled, 30–60 km/year), the pseudo epizootic spread, and reached the enzootic stage, in all Ohio counties by year 13 (range modeled, 11–17 years). Cumulative excess costs for Ohio ranged between $11 and $21 million; counties of low socioeconomic status experienced the greatest relative excess costs. The costs for rabies prevention activities reached apices during the epizootic stage of raccoon rabies (2.7–10.8 times baseline) an unforeseen finding indicated elevated costs persisted (1.7–7.2 times baseline) into the enzootic stage.     

家畜住肉孢子虫感染情况调查

对北京,河北,内蒙,云南,湖南等地家畜住肉孢子虫的感染情况进行了调查,黄牛,水牛,绵羊,山羊和猪的平均感染率分别为４３．５％、９１％、５６．６％、５９．６％和１３．８％。调查还发现,同一畜种不同地方的感染率有着明显差异。在不同饲养方式下对住肉孢子虫的感染率也明显不同。     

Combined vaccination of cats against panleucopenia and rabies

In a previous paper [3], we demonstrated that it was possible to vaccinate cats with a combined vaccine against Panleucopenia and Rabies.The purpose of this paper is to sum up the tests for safety and potency, carried out in cats vaccinated with a new combined vaccine against Panleucopenia and Rabies. This vaccine is different from that mentioned in the previous paper. The new Rabies vaccine is a vaccine adjuvanted by aluminium hydroxide.First of all, we shall examine the means and methods implemented and then, present the comparative results obtained with the two types of Rabies vaccine (whether adjuvanted or not) combined with the Panleucopenia live vaccine.     

The Importance of Wild Canids in the Epidemiology of Rabies in Northeast Brazil: A Retrospective Study

Rabies is an endemic disease in Brazil, where it is considered a serious public health problem. Although the number of human and dog‐transmitted cases has declined in recent decades, rabies in wildlife has emerged considerably. Among the sylvatic animals, wild canids have been considered important hosts of the rabies virus. We performed a retrospective study of reported cases of rabies in wild canids and human victims in Ceará state (Northeast Brazil) during 2003 to 2013. Information was provided by governmental laboratories involved in rabies detection and by the Ministry of Health. From January 2003 to December 2013, a total of 11 931 animal samples were examined for rabies. Positivity were detected in 438 samples (3.67%), of which 229 (52.28%) were domestic animals, 105 (23.97%) wild canids and 104 (23.74%) other wild animals (bats, marmosets and raccoons). Approximately 33% of wild canids surveyed (n = 317) were positive for rabies. During the studied period, a total of 1923 attacks on humans by wild canids were registered. Males (n = 1405) were more affected than females (n = 520; 72.98% versus 27.01%), and the median age of all cases was 36.5 years. Injuries to individuals up to 19 years old corresponded to approximately 30% (n = 565) of all cases. Most of the victims lived in rural areas (72.46%; n = 1395), and the majority showed bites (81.13%; n = 1677) or scratches (12.23%; n = 253). Injuries were considered profound (52.1%; n = 1003), superficial (40.91; n = 788) or multiple with severe laceration (6.98%; n = 134). Only 1300 (67.53%) victims were enrolled for the complete rabies post‐exposure prophylaxis scheme. Data from the present study confirm that wild canids are important hosts of rabies virus in northeastern Brazil and jeopardize rabies control in this area. Local authorities should focus their efforts in education of health professionals. In addition, strategies should be formulated to preserve wildlife.     

狂犬病病毒核蛋白基因的克隆序列分析及其在E.coli中的高效表达

对狂犬病病毒（RV）ERA株核蛋白（N）基因进行了克隆和序列分析。根据GenBank中已发表的RVN基因序列，设计合成了1对特异性引物，对RV ERA株N基因进行了RT-PCR扩增。将PCR产物纯化后与pMD18T连接得到重组质粒pMD-N，并进行核苷酸序列测定。结果该基因全长1353bp，编码450个氨基酸。RV ERA株与CVS-11、PV-11、SRV9和SAD—B19株相比，核苷酸的同源性分别为98％、98．3％、99％、99.6％，推导的氨基酸的同源性分别为98％、99％、99％、99.6％。将pMD-N双酶切，回收目的基因片段并克隆到原核表达载体pET28a（＋）中，构建了重组质粒pETN；将其转化表达菌BL21（DE3）并用IPTG进行诱导表达。结果重组菌裂解物经SDS-PAGE电泳可检测到相对分子量为53kDa的重组蛋白。经凝胶薄层扫描分析，重组蛋白表达量占菌体蛋白的56．8％，Western-blot结果显示该重组蛋白能与RV多克隆抗体发生特异性反应。     

榆林地区动物间鼠疫风险调查分析

鼠疫是鼠疫耶尔森菌借鼠蚤传播为主的甲类传染病,系广泛流行于野生啮齿类动物间的一种自然疫源性疾病,易感动物主要为啮齿动物,人类一旦感染对其生命健康存在极大的危害。榆林地区虽然目前未发生动物间鼠疫疫情流行,但与榆林地区接壤的内蒙、宁夏等地近年来相继报道出现动物间鼠疫疫情传播情况。本文通过对鼠疫的流行特点和传播途径进行论述,对榆林地区目前面临的形势及风险进行研判,并进一步对本地人间鼠疫防控工作进行深入调查研究,为逐步建立系统性的动物间鼠疫监测工作提供科学依据。     

Assessing the role of long-distance translocation and spatial heterogeneity in the raccoon rabies epidemic in Connecticut

Spatial heterogeneity and long-distance translocation (LDT) play important roles in the spatio-temporal dynamics and management of emerging infectious diseases and invasive species. We assessed the influence of LDT events on the invasive spread of raccoon rabies through Connecticut. We identified several putative LDT events, and developed a network-model to evaluate whether they became new foci for epidemic spread. LDT was fairly common, but many of the LDTs were isolated events that did not spread. Two putative LDT events did appear to become nascent foci that affected the epidemic in surrounding townships.

In evaluating the role of LDT, we simultaneously revisited the problem of spatial heterogeneity. The spread of raccoon rabies is associated with forest cover—rabies moves up to three-times slower through the most heavily forested townships compared with those with less forestation. Forestation also modified the effect of rivers. In the best overall model, rabies did not cross the river separating townships that were heavily forested, and the spread slowed substantially between townships that were lightly forested. Our results suggest that spatial heterogeneity can be used to enhance the effects of rabies control by focusing vaccine bait distribution along rivers in lightly forested areas. LDT events are a concern, but this analysis suggests that at a local scale they can be isolated and managed.