Rabies in the Balkans

By MAJ Donna DeBonis30 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.

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

What is Rabies?

Rabies (from Latin: rabies, “madness, rage, fury.” Also known as “hydrophobia”) is a viral zoonotic neuroinvasive disease that causes acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in mammals.

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Wild Fauna on Camp Bondsteelor Should I be worried?

TortoisePigeonBullfrog

Hermann tortoise on CBS

European Hare on Camp BondsteelNot a bunny Runs in droves

Is it a bunny on Bondsteel?

European Hare

Females boxNot rabid

From World Health Organization, Rabies Bulletin Europe published MAY 2010, Geneva www.who-rabies-bulletin.org

SUMMARY OF RABIES CASES IN BALKAN REGION

4th QTR 2009Wildlife Domestic Bats Humans TOTAL

Albania 0 1 -Bov 0 0 1

Bulgaria 7-Fx 0 0 0 7

Macedonia

0 0 0 0 0

Serbia 34-Fx 10-Fe/k9 0 0 44

Montenegro

10-Fx 3-k9/Bov/Ov

0 0 13

Bosnia Herzegovin

0 1-Bov 0 0 1

Rabies in Balkans Wildlifefoxdeerracoon 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

Epizootic wave from 1938 to 1989

The ‘ magic ‘ tool for rabies control : have not only succeeded to eradicate the disease in less than 10 years in many countries but remains available at any time in case of its re-emergence

Oral vaccination of Wildlife against rabies in Eurasia

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!

Drops bait at colder altitudes so doesn’t melt

GPS/flies grid-records location and numbers of bait dropped

Vaccinate the main culprits(red foxes) with oral rabies vaccine (ORV)

Czechoslvokian contractor flies this specially outfitted plane

These are the locations of the ORV bait

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

catdogcattlesheep/goathorsepigstray dog

Dogs of Kosovo

Come in all sizesMany are very friendlySome are working dogs

Packs of stray dogs attack people

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

Ligji Nr. 02/L-10PËR PËRKUJDESJEN NDAJ KAFSHËVE  Neni 8Vrasja e kafshëve 8.1. Përveç në rastet emergjente të cilat dukshëm tregojnë dhembje ekstreme që mund tëpasojnë me ngordhje, vetëm veterinari ose personi tjetër kompetent lejohet të vraskafshën e llojit të zbutur ose çfarëdo kafshe të egër e cila është zbutur, përveç kafshëve

tëmbarështuara për prodhim të ushqimit.8.2. Në rastet kur është e domosdoshme vrasja e kafshës, duhet të bëhet me vuajtjeminimale fizike dhe mentale të saj.8.3. Personi përgjegjës për vrasje do të sigurojë se kafsha ka ngordhur para eliminimit tëtrupit të saj.8.4. Ministria do të nxjerr akt nënligjor me të cilin përcakton:a) rastet në të cilat lejohet vrasja e kafshëve dhe mënyra në të cilën mund të bëhet vrasja;b) personin që mund të vrasë kafshën;c) objektet dhe pajisjet e thertoreve;d) metodat e trullosjes dhe therjes së mëparshme, me kusht që metodat e tilla tësjellin kafshën në gjendje të pavetëdijes, e cila zgjatë derisa të vritet;e) transportin e kafshëve të lënduara apo sëmura me qëllim të therjes, duke siguruarqë 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. 

Slaughtering Law of Kosovo

 

Article 8 Slaughtering 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.  

ANIMAL CARE Law of KosovoAccording to the Kosovo Law it is forbidden to kill the dogs

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.

Article 8 Slaughtering animals

Modern answers

‘Killing is not and cannot be a solution if we want a Kosovo with no killing any more,” Pristina Mayor Ismet Beqiri 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.

WORLD RABIES DAY September 28The most important global source of rabies in humans is from

uncontrolled rabies in dogs. www.worldrabiesday.org

From the Rabies - Bulletin - EuropeRabies Information System of theWHO Collaboration Centre for Rabies Surveillance and Research

This major source of rabies in humans can be eliminated:

1. through ensuring adequate animal vaccination and control

2. educating those at risk 3. enhancing access of those

bitten to appropriate medical care     

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.

Animal Bites—what to do with the offending animal

SUMMARY of How to protect against rabies Vaccinate your animals! Quarantine animals

a. if suspected rabidb. Before travel to another country

Vaccinate yourself Rabies education Post exposure treatment Seek medical advice Report animal bites

Questions?