Determination of antibody titres in adult stray/free roaming and domestic canines

against anti-rabies immunization by RFFIT A Preliminary report

Pimburage R M S1, Gunatilake M2, Wimalaratne O3, Balasuriya A4, Perera K A D N3

1Deprtment of Public Health Veterinary Services, Ministry of Health

2Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Colombo 08

3Department of Rabies Research and Vaccine Quality control, Medical Research

Institute, Colombo 08

4Faculty of Medicine, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University

•. Rabies a significant health problem in Sri Lanka

• Involves large investment

• The main reservoir and transmitter in Sri Lanka is the dog

Introduction

Introduction cont.

Dog Population in Sri Lanka

• Stray 64-75%

• Domestic 25-36%

Age 6 weeks 3 months Annual

Vaccination 1st dose 1st booster Annual booster

Recommended Anti Rabies vaccine schedule :

To determine rabies neutralizing antibody titers in

• unimmunized, adult stray / free roaming dogs

• adult domestic dogs with an annual immunization history

Objective

Dogs were recruited from Kalutara district

Method

Study population

Domestic (n=34)

Stray/free roaming(n=29)

Representative Sample

First Day

30th Day

180th Day

360th Day

Collection of blood (D0) Injected ARV

Collection of blood (D30)

Collection of blood (D180)

Collection of blood (D360)

Analyzed by RFFIT

Comparison of AB titers

Results

Results

Percentage of Canines with AB titres above 0.5 IU/ml (WHO Recommendation)

Group Day 0 Day 30 Day 180 Day 360

Stray/ Free roaming (n=29)

10.3 % 68.9% 89.6% 62.1%

Domestic (n=34)76.5 %* 91.2% 85.3% 82.4%

* Significantly higher (<0.05) than stray population

Conclusions

• Annual revaccination is likely to maintain protective antibody

titres in domestic dogs

• Immunization of stray/free roaming dogs with a single

vaccine is not sufficient

Acknowledgment

• National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka for financial

support.

• Dog restrainers, other staff of Public Health Veterinary

Services and Medical research Institute for their kind co-

operation.

References

• Records of Medical suppliers Division, Ministry of Health.

• Records of Public Health Veterinary Services, Ministry of Health

• M. Gunatilake, O Wimalarathne and K.A.D.N Perera. Determination of

efficacy and virus neutralizing antibody levels in canines before and after

immunization with anti rabies vaccine.

• WHO Expert consultation on rabies. First report. Geneva, World Health

Organization, 2004 WHO Technical Report Series 931.

• Prevention and Control of Rabies in the South-East Asia Region. World

Health Organization, Regional Office for South –East Asia. New Delhi (July

2004).

Thank You