Re: Moscow: 41 receive prophylactic treatment after attack by rabid dog
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,80697
Archive Number 20091230.4392
Published Date 30-DEC-2009
Subject PRO/AH/EDR> Rabies, canine, human - Russia: Moscow
RABIES, CANINE, HUMAN - RUSSIA: MOSCOW
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A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009
Source: News 24 [edited]
<http://www.news24.com/printArticle.aspx?iframe&aid=d5bcba1b-aa88-4272-b90f-3b71690d5815&cid=1073>
Fears of contact with a rabies-stricken dog have left 41 people
hospitalised in Moscow, said Russian officials quoted by the Interfax
news agency.
The patients, 3 of them children, are being treated for rabies,
reported the Russian chief sanitary inspector Gennadi Onishchenko,
according to the agency. None of the victims have shown signs of
rabies so far.
Local media reported on Monday [28 Dec 2009] that the dog had bitten
numerous people in mid December 2009, while others had had contact
with the dog's saliva. The animal died a few days ago of rabies.
Onishchenko has said that about 10 000 feral dogs live in Moscow's
streets, including fighting dogs. Sterilisation and other methods
have yet to bring the situation under control. [see comment]. There
have been 5 human rabies cases in the last half year.
--
Communicated by:
Sabine Zentis
Castleview Pedigree English Longhorns
Gut Laach 52385 Nideggen, Germany
<cvlonghorns@aol.com>
[The combination of widespread rabies in wild canidae vector animals,
adjacent to the uncontrolled population of stray dogs within an urban
setting, is most unfortunate for public health. According to previous
reports from the Moscow region, Raccoon dogs (_Nyctereutes
procyonoides_, Family: Canidae) have become the main vectors of
rabies in the Moscow region, replacing the fox. The number of animal
rabies cases, predominantly in raccoon dogs and in stray dogs, has
been reportedly increasing during recent years in the Moscow region.
To combat rabies, both raccoon dog and stray dog populations must be
controlled. Oral vaccination of wildlife is the recommended mode for
spatial rabies control. Several of the vaccines which have been long
demonstrated as highly effective and safe in controlling the disease
in foxes -- in western Europe and elsewhere -- have been tested in
raccoon dogs as well, with similarly satisfactory results. It is
mainly the stray dog which introduces the rabies virus into the
densely populated city area, exposing humans, particularly children,
as well as owned pets.
Dealing with stray and feral dogs, which pose serious human health,
animal health and welfare problems and have a socioeconomic,
political and religious impact in many countries, has been subject to
OIE recommendations, included in chapter 7.7. of OIE's Terrestrial
Animal Health Code, titled "Guidelines on stray dog population
control". (see at
<http://www.oie.int/eng/normes/MCODE/en_chapitre_1.7.7.pdf>). Article
7.7.6. thereof deals with "control measures".
From the said article, we copy, for readers' convenience, passage 3:
"Reproductive control":
"Controlling reproduction in dogs prevents the birth of unwanted
puppies and can help address the balance between demand for dogs and
the size of the population. It is advisable to focus efforts to
control reproduction on those individuals or groups in the dog
population identified as the most productive and the most likely to
be the sources of unwanted and stray dogs, to ensure best use of
resources. Methods of controlling reproduction will require direct
veterinary input to individual animals. Involvement of both private
and public veterinary sectors may be required to meet demand for
services. Subsidisation of sterilisation programmes by government or
other organisations may be considered to encourage uptake. The
control of reproduction is essentially the responsibility of owners
and can be incorporated into education on responsible ownership (see
point 1 of Article 7.7.6.). Methods for controlling reproduction in
dogs include: a) surgical sterilisation; b) chemical sterilisation;
c) chemical contraception; d) separation of female dogs during
oestrus from unsterilised males. Surgical sterilisation should be
carried out by a veterinarian and include appropriate anaesthesia and
pain management. Any chemicals or drugs used in controlling
reproduction should be shown to have appropriate safety, quality and
efficacy for the function required and used according to the
manufacturer's and Competent Authority's regulations. In the case of
chemical sterilants and contraceptives, research and field trials may
need to be completed before use". - Mod.AS]
[see also:
Rabies, canine, human - Russia : (Moscow), susp. 20091120.4001
Rabies, animal, human - Russia (Moscow Region) 20090409.1367
2008
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Rabies, raccoon dog, human - Russia: (Moscow) 20081123.3693
2005
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Rabies, human, canine - Russia (Vladimir & Moscow) 20050726.2168
Rabies, animal, human - Russia (Kurgan, Moscow) 20050222.0566
2003
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Rabies - Russia (Moscow region) 20031012.2567]
.............................................arn/msp/lm
