Published Date: 2011-11-21 10:32:01
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Rabies - Ghana: (WP) canine, human
Archive Number: 20111121.3418

RABIES - GHANA: (WESTERN) CANINE, HUMAN
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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: Sun 20 Nov 2011
Source: Ghanamm.com, Ghana News Agency (GNA) report [edited]
http://www.ghanamma.com/2011/11/rabies-kills-two-people-in-jomoro-district/


Rabies had killed 2 teenagers at Tikobo Number Two and Bonyere in the
Jomoro District [Western Region] after being bitten by dogs. Mr
Kenneth Addai Boadu, Jomoro District agricultural director, said this
when addressing the Jomoro District Assembly at its sitting at Half
Assini. He said the teenagers died at Effia Nkwanta Government
Hospital after referral from Half Assini Government Hospital between
September and October this year [2011].

Mr Boadu said in April this year, an anti-rabies campaign was
organised in the district but in some communities, instead of pet
owners bringing their animals for vaccination, they rather asked the
officials to chase them for the vaccination. This, he said, the
officers could not do due to the risk involved thus leaving some pets
unvaccinated at the end of the exercise.

He said the unfortunate incident, which resulted in the death of the 2
teenagers, had led to a re-vaccination exercise in those communities
since Mon 14 Nov 2011, by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Mr
Boadu said in both cases the animals concerned were killed and eaten
without the authorities examining them to ascertain whether they were
carriers of rabies or not. He therefore advised the general public not
to kill any dog after having bitten someone but chain it till 3 weeks
to ascertain whether it is a rabies carrier.

The Assembly advised the agricultural authorities to prosecute pet
owners who refused to vaccinate their animals.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail from HealthMap alerts
<promed@promedmail.org>

[This unfortunate incident illustrates the difficulties encountered in
rabies control in rural Africa. Lack of diagnostic facilities and
incomplete vaccination coverage enables the virus to persist in the
domestic canine population and continue to threaten the human
community. The marking of vaccinated dogs might to some extent reduce
exposure of the human population by identifying unmarked dogs as
potential rabies virus carriers. The killing and eating of the
suspected rabid dog in this incident obscured the diagnosis, but it
would not have contributed to any extent to further spread of the
infection.

The Jomoro District is located in the Western Region of Ghana. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Ghana is available at
http://healthmap.org/r/1smp. - Mod.CP]

See Also