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Rabies in the Balkans. By MAJ Donna DeBonis 30 JUL 2010 Camp Bondsteel , Kosovo. Purpose:. To inform medical treatment personnel about current risks of rabies in the Balkans. To educate about state of the art rabies prevention in Balkan wild animals. What is Rabies?.
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Rabies in the Balkans By MAJ Donna DeBonis 30 JUL 2010 Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo
Purpose: • To inform medical treatment personnel about current risks of rabies in the Balkans. • To educate about state of the art rabies prevention in Balkan wild animals.
What is Rabies? Family: Rhabdoviridae - infect a broad range of hosts throughout the animal and plant kingdom. Animal rhabdoviruses infect insects, fish, and mammals, including humans Genus: Lyssavirus - Lyssaviruses have helical symmetry, so their infectious particles are approximately cylindrical in shape Species: Rabies virus
… • Rabies (from Latin: rabies, “madness, rage, fury.” Also known as “hydrophobia”) is a viral zoonoticneuroinvasive disease that causes acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in mammals.
Wild Fauna on Camp Bondsteelor Should I be worried? • Tortoise • Pigeon • Bullfrog Hermann tortoise on CBS
Is it a bunny on Bondsteel? European Hare on Camp Bondsteel • Not a bunny • Runs in droves
European Hare • Females box • Not rabid
SUMMARY OF RABIES CASES IN BALKAN REGION4th QTR 2009 • From World Health Organization, Rabies Bulletin Europe • published MAY 2010, Geneva • www.who-rabies-bulletin.org
Rabies in Balkans Wildlife • fox • deer • racoon dog • racoon • wolf • badger • Marten • mustelides • wild boar
Wildlife rabies in Eurasia in 2006 Jean Blancou, WOAH, May 27 07
Towards the elimination of Rabies in Eurasia Epizooticwavefrom 1938 to 1989
Oral vaccination of Wildlife against rabies in Eurasia The ‘ magic ‘ tool for rabies control : have not onlysucceeded to eradicate the disease in lessthan 10 years in many countries but remainsavailableatany time in case of itsre-emergence
Rabies in Kosovo and the EU • No human cases of rabies have been reported at least for the past 30 years in Kosovo. • In October 2007, two cases of rabies in wild animals (foxes) were reported. • To date, sound data on rabies based on a national surveillance plan are so far lacking but will be collected during the OIF project funded by European Union. • OIF Project in order to decrease Rabies; Kosovo goal to join European Union
Joining the European Union means more resources to help Kosovo European Commission Liaison Office to Kosovo • Project funding • Equipment • Consultants
Kosovo must actively try to become rabies free in order to join the European Union
We have the technology! Vaccinate the main culprits(red foxes) with oral rabies vaccine (ORV) • Drops bait at colder altitudes so doesn’t melt • GPS/flies grid-records location and numbers of bait dropped Czechoslvokian contractor flies this specially outfitted plane
OIF (Oral Immunization Foxes)stops the spread of rabies! • Fox rabies re-emerged in northeastern Italy in 2008, in an area bordering Slovenia. • In 2009, the infection spread westward to Veneto region and in 2010 to the provinces of Trento and Bolzano. • Aerial emergency oral fox vaccination was implemented in the winter 2009-10. • Of the foxes sampled following the vaccination campaign, 77% showed a protective rabies antibody titre of ≥0.5 IU/ml.
Kosovar OIF Program At least 300 fox Samples to be Collected per year for two years.
Now pay the hunter to collect foxes • In some countries (like Italy), the foxes are captured, tranquilized and blood samples collected. • In Kosovo, the fox brain is tested for rabies and the femur is xrayed to check for tetracycline marker used in ORV RABIES SURVEILLANCE SAMPLES
Diagnostic tests on fox samples Tetracycline in bones Fluorescent Antibody Test for Rabies Detection in brain
Balkans Domestic Animals • cat • dog • cattle • sheep/goat • horse • pig • stray dog
Dogs of Kosovo • Come in all sizes • Many are very friendly • Some are working dogs
Ancient method to stop spread of diseases from animals • Arrange big hunts to kill the offending animal(s) • As recent as last month over 500 dogs were killed in Gjellane • Many pets were killed when running with the pack
Slaughtering Law of Kosovo • Ligji Nr. 02/L-10 PËR PËRKUJDESJEN NDAJ KAFSHËVE Neni 8 Vrasja e kafshëve 8.1. Përveçnërastetemergjentetëcilatdukshëmtregojnëdhembjeekstremeqëmundtë pasojnë me ngordhje, vetëmveterinariosepersonitjetërkompetentlejohettëvras kafshën e llojittëzbuturoseçfarëdokafshetëegër e cilaështëzbutur, përveçkafshëvetë mbarështuarapërprodhimtëushqimit. 8.2. Nërastetkurështë e domosdoshmevrasja e kafshës, duhettëbëhet me vuajtje minimalefizikedhementaletësaj. 8.3. Personipërgjegjëspërvrasje do tësigurojë se kafsha ka ngordhurparaeliminimittë trupittësaj. 8.4. Ministria do tënxjerraktnënligjor me tëcilinpërcakton: a) rastetnëtëcilatlejohetvrasja e kafshëvedhemënyranëtëcilënmundtëbëhetvrasja; b) personinqëmundtëvrasëkafshën; c) objektet dhe pajisjet e thertoreve; d) metodat e trullosjes dhe therjes së mëparshme, me kusht që metodat e tilla të sjellin kafshën në gjendje të pavetëdijes, e cila zgjatë derisa të vritet; e) transportin e kafshëve të lënduara apo sëmura me qëllim të therjes, duke siguruar që transporti i tillë nuk shkakton vuajtje të mëtutjeshme për kafshët. 8.5. Dispozitat e paragrafit 8.4 të këtij neni nuk zbatohen për kafshët e egra të gjahut.
ANIMAL CARE Law of KosovoAccording to the Kosovo Law it is forbidden to kill the dogs Article 8Slaughtering animals 8.1. Excepting emergency cases in which animals seem to be in extreme pain that may lead to death, only a veterinarian or other competent person may kill domestic or domesticated wild animals; this does not include animals bred for consumption. 8.2. When killing is imperative, ensure minimal physical and mental harm is inflicted upon the animal. 8.3. The person responsible for killing must ensure the animal is dead before disposing it.
Article 8Slaughtering animals 8.4. The ministry will issue a sublegal act to determine: a) when killing animals is allowed and how it must be conducted; b) who may kill animals; c) butchery facilities and equipment; d) methods of stupefaction and pre-slaughtering; ensure the animal remains unconscious until slaughtering is complete. e) transportation of wounded or sick animals to butcheries, ensuring no further suffering is caused to them. 8.5. Provisions of al. 8.4 of this article do no apply for wild animals.
Modern answers ‘Killing is not and cannot be a solution if we want a Kosovo with no killing any more,” Pristina Mayor IsmetBeqiri said. • Quoted from article : Muslim Kosovo Killing off Dogs By Julia Gorin • PoliticalMavens.com • April 29th, 2007
Vaccinate pets ! • This is the recommendation of the World Health Organization. • Kosovar government provides free rabies vaccine to all private veterinarians. • Vaccination clinics are performed annually by the Kosovar government veterinarians.
From the Rabies - Bulletin - EuropeRabies Information System of theWHO Collaboration Centre for Rabies Surveillance and Research • WORLD RABIES DAY September 28 The most important global source of rabies in humans is from uncontrolled rabies in dogs. www.worldrabiesday.org
This major source of rabies in humans can be eliminated: • through ensuring adequate animal vaccination and control • educating those at risk • enhancing access of those bitten to appropriate medical care
Animal Bites—what to do with the offending animal • Exposure to rodents, rabbits and hares seldom, if ever, requires specific anti-rabies treatment. • If an apparently healthy dog or cat in or from a low-risk area is placed under observation, it may be justified to delay specific treatment. This observation period applies only to domestic dogs and cats • Except in the case of threatened or endangered species, other domestic and wild animals suspected as rabid should be euthanized and their tissues examined using appropriate laboratory techniques.
SUMMARY of How to protect against rabies • Vaccinate your animals! • Quarantine animals a. if suspected rabid b. Before travel to another country • Vaccinate yourself • Rabies education • Post exposure treatment • Seek medical advice • Report animal bites