WSAVA Nov 2021 Proceedings - Flipbook - Page 47
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O’ Morrow C. (2010). Advanced Dental Local Nerve Block Anesthesia.
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0021
THE CRITICAL ROLE OF PRIVATE AND PUBLIC
VETERINARIANS IN RABIES ELIMINATION
T. Scott1, A. Coetzer2, L. Nel2
Luxembourg/Luxembourg, 2Pretoria/South Africa
1
Qualifications:
Dr. Terence Peter Scott
PhD Microbiology (Virology; Rabies)
terence.scott@rabiesalliance.org
Considering the zoonotic nature of rabies – a fatal encephalitic disease
affecting all mammals – the role of the veterinary and animal health
sector in controlling and eliminating the disease is critical. It is widely
accepted that the only practical and feasible means to achieve dog rabies
elimination is through targeted and sustained mass dog vaccination
of at-risk dog populations. While the global goal for the elimination of
dog-mediated human rabies cases by 2030 - accounting for 99% of all
human rabies deaths globally – focuses on the human aspect of rabies,
this goal remains an intermediary target towards the eventual elimination
of dog-mediated rabies globally. While the public health impact of rabies
is typically used to advocate for support – in particular to political stakeholders and communities – the challenge lies primarily with the control
and elimination of the disease in animal populations. Thus, the role of
both private and government veterinary practitioners is key to achieving
rabies elimination.
To achieve success, a combined approach towards controlling and
eliminating rabies is required. Such an approach requires the combination
of efforts towards vaccinating the at-risk dog population, educating communities and professionals about the dangers of the disease, preventative
measures and responsible dog ownership, surveillance, and the provision
of pre- and post-exposure prophylactic treatment to at-risk individuals,
including veterinary practitioners. While many of these activities should
be shared among sectors and stakeholders, veterinarians and their
colleagues working in animal health are typically expected to contribute to
many of these aspects.
Of these various activities, the vaccination of dogs against rabies is the
principal, and most important, role of veterinarians towards achieving
rabies elimination. Considering the differing roles between private and
government veterinarians, this role usually differs slightly with some
overlap being evident. The roles of the private and government veterinarians also have more impact and influence on rabies control, elimination,
or prevention, depending on whether the country in which they practice
is dog-rabies endemic or dog-rabies free. For those dog-rabies free
countries, the private practitioners typically play an important role in
terms of ensuring the maintenance of a suitable vaccination coverage
in the owned, confined dog population, considering that confined dog
populations are more prevalent in dog-rabies free countries. Government
veterinarians respond to potential outbreaks from re-introductions or
spillover events and maintain vigilance at borders and ports of entry to ensure that any animals entering from rabies-endemic countries are healthy
and have adhered to the appropriate regulations, including vaccination
against rabies1. Mass dog vaccination (MDV) campaigns are not required
in dog-rabies free countries as the focus lies with the maintenance of the
rabies-free status through the prevention of re-introduction, and the rapid
response to introduced rabies cases to eliminate any potential infection
and spread in the local population. This is also applicable to the introduction of rabies from wildlife reservoirs, including both terrestrial reservoirs
such as Raccoon dogs (as is the present concern in eastern Europe),
raccoons and skunks in North America and the introduction of rabies or
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