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EDITOR — Rabies Day is celebrated annually to raise awareness about rabies prevention and to highlight progress in defeating this horrifying disease. The 28th September marks the anniversary of Louis Pasteur’s death, the renowned French chemist and microbiologist, who developed the first rabies vaccine.

Today, safe and efficacious animal and human vaccines are among the important tools that exist to fight this deadly disease in animals and humans but still causing human deaths while awareness is the key driver for success of communities to engage in effective rabies prevention.

The battle with rabies is still being fought with increasing cases in both animals and human cases in our cities including Bulawayo in 2018. The following are facts about the disease.

– Rabies is a fatal but preventable viral disease that affects warm-blooded animals meaning both animals and humans. It is transmitted through bites of infected animals, mostly from dogs to humans. Jackals Mongoose act as a natural reservoir of the disease and can transmit the disease to dogs or cats which starts the cycle of transmission among domesticated animals and man.

– Rabies kills and it is important to note that when symptoms begin to show death is certain. Rabies is a disease of international concern and only twenty-four out of one hundred and seven countries of the world are known to be free of rabies.

All exposures (through bites and saliva) to animals of unknown vaccination status should be regarded as suspect rabies. Post exposure treatment of disease in people has been found to be 100 times more costly than prevention in animals.

Dogs and cats breed at least twice yearly and their population can increase up to thirty percent on average each year. This dynamic population require constant vaccination to prevent outbreaks.

The Department of Veterinary Services, SPCA and Private Veterinary practitioners offer sterilisation of pets to limit their population growth. Pet owners are required to vaccinate their dogs and contribute to controlling dog and cat population by spaying females and castrating males.

Local authority bye-laws which require licensing and proof of vaccination in the form of ear tattoos or rabies vaccination certificate play an important role in the control of rabies. Responsible pet ownership and stray dog population control are part of the strategy that is critical in the fight against rabies.

Dogs and cats must be given their first vaccination at three months of age, the second at nine months later and thereafter every year. It is a criminal offence to keep dogs not vaccinated for rabies.

The Division of Veterinary Services runs regular vaccination services, private veterinarians and SPCA-run programmes and campaigns at district and provincial level. Pet owners can also bring their animals to any of the veterinary offices throughout the country for vaccination. All offices at Provincial level and district level are equipped to provide this vaccination service daily except on weekend and public holidays.

As rabies is endemic in the country the current thrust is to immunise all pets and control their population growth to remove the immediate risk to people. Collaborative efforts exist between the State, Veterinary Services and Human Public Health in reducing time delays for post exposure treatment as well as outbreak detention and control in animals.

In areas where cases have been reported on above normal prevalence like horses and pedigree animals their vaccination has been strongly recommended.
Dr M Moyo, BVsc, MBA, District Veterinary Officer, Bulawayo.