Rabies immune status of vaccinated and unvaccinated dogs in Kwara State,
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Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Sustainable Veterinary and Allied Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Nigeria.
Abstract
Rabies is one of the deadliest zoonoses that have existed for decades, affecting wide range of hosts globally. In Nigeria, there
is paucity of data on routine antibody check of antirabies vaccinated dogs as quality assurance. This study was designed to
investigate the seroprevalence of canine rabies virus in both vaccinated and unvaccinated dogs within Kwara State, Nigeria. A
total of one hundred and eighty-two (182) blood samples collected from dogs were transported to the Virology and
Immunology Laboratory of the University of Ilorin Veterinary Teaching Hospital for processing. Sera were harvested from the
blood samples and rabies IgG was qualitatively determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique.
Overall seroprevalence of 11% (20/182) was recorded in this study. One hundred and twenty-one (66.5%) and Sixty-one
(33.5%) of the dogs used in this study had vaccination and non-vaccination status respectively. The study also revealed that
several dogs (78.7%; 48/61) that were said to be vaccinated did not have rabies antibodies while some unvaccinated dogs
(5.8%; 7/121) had rabies antibodies. There was a significant (χ2 = 11.177, df = 4, P = 0.025) association between
age group and rabies virus antibodies detection. The same significant (χ2 = 9.995, df = 1, P = .002) association was observed
for vaccination status of dogs sampled. On the other hand, sex has no significant (χ2 = 0.71, df = 1, P = .790) association with
rabies virus antibodies. Poor attitude to vaccination of dogs used for hunting in rural and semi-urban areas was generally
observed compared to dogs kept for other purposes in urban areas. There is need for increased rabies awareness campaign,
vaccine subsidies, and wider sero-surveillance activities engaging the relevant stakeholders with government sponsorship.
Description
Keywords
Antibody, dogs, rabies, vaccinated, unvaccinated
Citation
Aiyedun J.O., Oluboyede I. S., Daodu O.B., Oludairo O.O., Olorunshola I. D. and Darajat A.T. (2022): Rabies immune status of vaccinated and unvaccinated dogs in Kwara State, Nigeria. Journal of Sustainable Veterinary and Allied Sciences 2 (1); 14-19. Published by Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Nigeria.