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Castillo-Neyra R, Xie S, Bellotti BR, Diaz EW, Saxena A, Toledo AM, Condori-Luna GF, Rieders M, Bhattacharya BB, Levy MZ. Optimizing the location of vaccination sites to stop a zoonotic epidemic. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15910. [PMID: 38987306 PMCID: PMC11237137 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66674-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Mass vaccinations are crucial public health interventions for curbing infectious diseases. Canine rabies control relies on mass dog vaccination campaigns (MDVCs) that are held annually across the globe. Dog owners must bring their pets to fixed vaccination sites, but sometimes target coverage is not achieved due to low participation. Travel distance to vaccination sites is an important barrier to participation. We aimed to increase MDVC participation in silico by optimally placing fixed-point vaccination locations. We quantified participation probability based on walking distance to the nearest vaccination site using regression models fit to participation data collected over 4 years. We used computational recursive interchange techniques to optimally place fixed-point vaccination sites and compared predicted participation with these optimally placed vaccination sites to actual locations used in previous campaigns. Algorithms that minimized average walking distance or maximized expected participation provided the best solutions. Optimal vaccination placement is expected to increase participation by 7% and improve spatial evenness of coverage, resulting in fewer under-vaccinated pockets. However, unevenness in workload across sites remained. Our data-driven algorithm optimally places limited resources to increase overall vaccination participation and equity. Field evaluations are essential to assess effectiveness and evaluate potentially longer waiting queues resulting from increased participation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Castillo-Neyra
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Zoonotic Disease Research Lab, One Health Unit, School of Public Health and Administration, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
| | - Sherrie Xie
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Brinkley Raynor Bellotti
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elvis W Diaz
- Zoonotic Disease Research Lab, One Health Unit, School of Public Health and Administration, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Aris Saxena
- The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Amparo M Toledo
- Zoonotic Disease Research Lab, One Health Unit, School of Public Health and Administration, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Gian Franco Condori-Luna
- Zoonotic Disease Research Lab, One Health Unit, School of Public Health and Administration, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Maria Rieders
- The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Michael Z Levy
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Zoonotic Disease Research Lab, One Health Unit, School of Public Health and Administration, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
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2
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Sousa FM, Warembourg C, Abakar MF, Alvarez D, Berger-Gonzalez M, Odoch T, Wera E, Chitnis N, Silva LC, Alobo G, Sikko MM, Roquel P, Hernández ALL, Dürr S. Investigation of optimized observation periods for estimating a representative home range of free-roaming domestic dogs. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22750. [PMID: 38123585 PMCID: PMC10733426 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49851-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Free-roaming domestic dogs (FRDD), as vectors of zoonotic diseases, are of high relevance for public health. Understanding roaming patterns of dogs can help to design disease control programs and disease transmission simulation models. Studies on GPS tracking of dogs report stark differences in recording periods. So far, there is no accepted number of days required to capture a representative home range (HR) of FRDD. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in HR size and shape over time of FRDD living in Chad, Guatemala, Indonesia and Uganda and identify the period required to capture stable HR values. Dogs were collared with GPS units, leading to a total of 46 datasets with, at least, 19 recorded days. For each animal and recorded day, HR sizes were estimated using the Biased Random Bridge method and percentages of daily change in size and shape calculated and taken as metrics. The analysis revealed that the required number of days differed substantially between individuals, isopleths, and countries, with the extended HR (95% isopleth value) requiring a longer recording period. To reach a stable HR size and shape values for 75% of the dogs, 26 and 21 days, respectively, were sufficient. However, certain dogs required more extended observational periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Maximiano Sousa
- Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Charlotte Warembourg
- Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Danilo Alvarez
- Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - Monica Berger-Gonzalez
- Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Terence Odoch
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Ewaldus Wera
- Kupang State Agricultural Polytechnic (Politeknik Pertanian Negeri Kupang), West Timor, Indonesia
| | - Nakul Chitnis
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Laura Cunha Silva
- Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Grace Alobo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Maria M Sikko
- Animal Health Division, Agricultural Department of Sikka Regency, Flores, Indonesia
| | - Pablo Roquel
- Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | | | - Salome Dürr
- Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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3
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Amiraslani F. You Are Not Welcome! A Media Analysis of Risk Factors, Prevalence and Management of Free-Roaming Dogs in Iran. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2347. [PMID: 37508123 PMCID: PMC10376389 DOI: 10.3390/ani13142347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
History has witnessed a long-term relationship between humans and animals. Historical documents and modern findings prove that humans' needs to use animals for companions or services are commonplace in many parts of the world, leading to the domestication of certain animals. Yet, modern societies have degraded many natural habitats for wildlife, confining them to small patches of landscapes or urban areas. Whether a domesticated/free-roaming animal or a wild species, their close contact with humans can create cumbersome situations for both species. This paper explores a link between online media content and on-the-ground efforts to manage free-roaming dogs as a rare case study. As indicated by news articles, the municipal costs of managing free-roaming dogs in Iranian cities have increased, and this can potentially derail the control of such dogs in the long run. This paper lays out pivotal factors for recent increasing human-animal encounters, which have led to many challenges (e.g., rabies) across cities in Iran. We show that some urban features (e.g., topography) can influence the presence and behaviours of free-roaming animals in the cities. The findings of this paper can be related to other developing countries where the plague of rabies is rising.
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4
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Cunha Silva L, Friker B, Warembourg C, Kanankege K, Wera E, Berger-González M, Alvarez D, Dürr S. Habitat selection by free-roaming domestic dogs in rabies endemic countries in rural and urban settings. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20928. [PMID: 36463285 PMCID: PMC9719531 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25038-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Domestic dogs can affect human health through bites and pathogen transmission, particularly in resource-poor countries where dogs, including owned ones, predominantly roam freely. Habitat and resource selection analysis methods are commonplace in wildlife studies but have not been used to investigate the environmental resource use of free-roaming domestic dogs (FRDD). The present study implements GPS devices to investigate habitat selection by FRDD from an urban site and a rural site in Indonesia, and one urban and two rural sites in Guatemala (N = 321 dogs). Spatial mixed effects logistic regression models, accounting for heterogeneous distribution of the resources, showed that patterns of habitat selection by FRDD were similar across study sites. The most preferred resources were anthropogenic, being buildings and roads, which implies selection for human proximity. Vegetation and open fields were less preferred and steep terrain was avoided, indicating that FRDD were synanthropic and that their space patterns likely optimised energy use. Results presented here provide novel data on FRDD habitat selection patterns, while improving our understanding of dog roaming behaviour. These findings provide insights into possible high-risk locations for pathogen transmission for diseases such as rabies, and can assist management authorities in the planning and deployment of efficient disease control campaigns, including oral vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Cunha Silva
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland ,grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Brian Friker
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Charlotte Warembourg
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Kaushi Kanankege
- grid.17635.360000000419368657College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN USA
| | - Ewaldus Wera
- Kupang State Agricultural Polytechnic (Politeknik Pertanian Negeri Kupang), West Timor, Indonesia
| | - Monica Berger-González
- grid.8269.50000 0000 8529 4976Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala ,grid.416786.a0000 0004 0587 0574Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Danilo Alvarez
- grid.8269.50000 0000 8529 4976Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - Salome Dürr
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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5
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Sararat C, Changruenngam S, Chumkaeo A, Wiratsudakul A, Pan-ngum W, Modchang C. The effects of geographical distributions of buildings and roads on the spatiotemporal spread of canine rabies: An individual-based modeling study. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010397. [PMID: 35536861 PMCID: PMC9126089 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Rabies is a fatal disease that has been a serious health concern, especially in developing countries. Although rabies is preventable by vaccination, the spread still occurs sporadically in many countries, including Thailand. Geographical structures, habitats, and behaviors of host populations are essential factors that may result in an enormous impact on the mechanism of propagation and persistence of the disease. To investigate the role of geographical structures on the transmission dynamics of canine rabies, we developed a stochastic individual-based model that integrates the exact configuration of buildings and roads. In our model, the spatial distribution of dogs was estimated based on the distribution of buildings, with roads considered to facilitate dog movement. Two contrasting areas with high- and low-risk of rabies transmission in Thailand, namely, Hatyai and Tepha districts, were chosen as study sites. Our modeling results indicated that the distinct geographical structures of buildings and roads in Hatyai and Tepha could contribute to the difference in the rabies transmission dynamics in these two areas. The high density of buildings and roads in Hatyai could facilitate more rabies transmission. We also investigated the impacts of rabies intervention, including reducing the dog population, restricting owned dog movement, and dog vaccination on the spread of canine rabies in these two areas. We found that reducing the dog population alone might not be sufficient for preventing rabies transmission in the high-risk area. Owned dog confinement could reduce more the likelihood of rabies transmission. Finally, a higher vaccination coverage may be required for controlling rabies transmission in the high-risk area compared to the low-risk area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chayanin Sararat
- Biophysics Group, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Suttikiat Changruenngam
- Biophysics Group, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Arun Chumkaeo
- Songkhla Provincial Livestock Office, Muang, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Anuwat Wiratsudakul
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Public Health, and the Monitoring and Surveillance Center for Zoonotic Diseases in Wildlife and Exotic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Wirichada Pan-ngum
- Department of Tropical Hygiene, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Charin Modchang
- Biophysics Group, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre of Excellence in Mathematics, CHE, Ministry of Education, Bangkok, Thailand
- * E-mail:
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6
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Daigle L, Delesalle L, Ravel A, Ford B, Aenishaenslin C. Occurrence and Risk Factors of Dog Bites in Northern Indigenous Communities: A Scoping Review. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:777640. [PMID: 35518635 PMCID: PMC9064469 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.777640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The relationship between northern Indigenous people and dogs has evolved over the past years alongside events such as colonization, settlement, proliferation of snowmobiling and other socio-cultural and environmental changes. These changes have had negative impacts on this relationship, and with the endemic presence of arctic fox rabies, dog bites have become an important public health burden. The objective of this study was to synthesize the state of knowledge regarding the occurrence of dog bites and associated risk factors in the specific context of northern Indigenous communities. A scoping review was conducted in seven bibliographic databases, from June 2018 to May 2020. From this search, 257 original studies were identified and eight papers were included for final analysis. Annual occurrence of dog bites in northern Indigenous communities ranged from 0.61 to 59.6/10,000 inhabitants. Dog bites affected 27–62.9% of the population in those regions during their lifetime. Very few studies compared the occurrence of dog bites between people living in northern communities with other populations or settings, but available evidence suggests that Indigenous people living in northern communities are at higher risk of dog bites than the rest of the population. Several individual and environmental risk factors were identified in the selected studies, although the strength of evidence varied significantly. Age (children) and gender (male) were well documented individual risk factors. Other factors, such as organizational barriers to dog management and lack of access to veterinary services, were identified and discussed by several authors. The results of this study support concerns about the higher risk of bites in northern Indigenous communities, and underscore the urgent need for more research into the contextual and environmental factors that impact the mitigation of these risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurence Daigle
- Département de Pathologie et Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique (GREZOSP), Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique de l'Université de Montréal et du CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'île-de-Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Léa Delesalle
- Département de Pathologie et Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique (GREZOSP), Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique de l'Université de Montréal et du CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'île-de-Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - André Ravel
- Département de Pathologie et Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | | | - Cécile Aenishaenslin
- Département de Pathologie et Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique (GREZOSP), Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique de l'Université de Montréal et du CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'île-de-Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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7
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Schüttler E, Saavedra-Aracena L, Jiménez JE. Spatial and temporal plasticity in free-ranging dogs in sub-Antarctic Chile. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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8
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De la Puente‐Arévalo M, Motta P, Dürr S, Warembourg C, Nikola C, Burdon‐Bailey J, Mayer D, Lohr F, Gibson AD, Chikungwa P, Chulu J, Gamble L, Anderson NE, Bronsvoort BMD, Mellanby RJ, Mazeri S. Ranging patterns and factors associated with movement in free-roaming domestic dogs in urban Malawi. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8498. [PMID: 35127025 PMCID: PMC8794712 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Rabies is a neglected zoonotic disease that causes around 59,000 deaths per year globally. In Africa, rabies virus is mostly maintained in populations of free-roaming domestic dogs (FRDD) that are predominantly owned. Characterizing the roaming behavior of FRDD can provide relevant information to understand disease spread and inform prevention and control interventions. To estimate the home range (HR) of FRDD and identify predictors of HR size, we studied 168 dogs in seven different areas of Blantyre city, Malawi, tracking them with GPS collars for 1-4 days. The median core HR (HR50) of FRDD in Blantyre city was 0.2 ha (range: 0.08-3.95), while the median extended HR (HR95) was 2.14 ha (range: 0.52-23.19). Multivariable linear regression models were built to identify predictors of HR size. Males presented larger HR95 than females. Dogs living in houses with a higher number of adults had smaller HR95, while those living in houses with higher number of children had larger HR95. Animals that received products of animal origin in their diets had larger HR95, and only in the case of females, animals living in low-income areas had larger HR50 and HR95. In contrast, whether male dogs were castrated or not was not found to be associated with HR size. The results of this study may help inform rabies control and prevention interventions in Blantyre city, such as designing risk-based surveillance activities or rabies vaccination campaigns targeting certain FRDD subpopulations. Our findings can also be used in rabies awareness campaigns, particularly to illustrate the close relationship between children and their dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paolo Motta
- European Commission for the Control of Foot‐and‐Mouth DiseaseFAORomeItaly
| | - Salome Dürr
- Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse FacultyUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Charlotte Warembourg
- Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse FacultyUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Julius Chulu
- Department of Animal Health and Livestock DevelopmentLilongweMalawi
| | | | - Neil E. Anderson
- The Roslin Institute and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Easter Bush Veterinary CentreUniversity of EdinburghMidlothianUK
| | - Barend M deC. Bronsvoort
- The Epidemiology, Economics and Risk Assessment Group, The Roslin Institute and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Easter Bush Veterinary CentreThe University of EdinburghMidlothianUK
| | - Richard J. Mellanby
- Division of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Hospital for Small Animals, The Roslin Institute and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Easter Bush Veterinary CentreThe University of EdinburghMidlothianUK
| | - Stella Mazeri
- Mission RabiesCranborneUK
- The Epidemiology, Economics and Risk Assessment Group, The Roslin Institute and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Easter Bush Veterinary CentreThe University of EdinburghMidlothianUK
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Thanapongtharm W, Suwanpakdee S, Chumkaeo A, Gilbert M, Wiratsudakul A. Current characteristics of animal rabies cases in Thailand and relevant risk factors identified by a spatial modeling approach. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009980. [PMID: 34851953 PMCID: PMC8668119 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The situation of human rabies in Thailand has gradually declined over the past four decades. However, the number of animal rabies cases has slightly increased in the last ten years. This study thus aimed to describe the characteristics of animal rabies between 2017 and 2018 in Thailand in which the prevalence was fairly high and to quantify the association between monthly rabies occurrences and explainable variables using the generalized additive models (GAMs) to predict the spatial risk areas for rabies spread. Our results indicate that the majority of animals affected by rabies in Thailand are dogs. Most of the affected dogs were owned, free or semi-free roaming, and unvaccinated. Clusters of rabies were highly distributed in the northeast, followed by the central and the south of the country. Temporally, the number of cases gradually increased after June and reached a peak in January. Based on our spatial models, human and cattle population density as well as the spatio-temporal history of rabies occurrences, and the distances from the cases to the secondary roads and country borders are identified as the risk factors. Our predictive maps are applicable for strengthening the surveillance system in high-risk areas. Nevertheless, the identified risk factors should be rigorously considered and integrated into the strategic plans for the prevention and control of animal rabies in Thailand.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarin Suwanpakdee
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Public Health, and the Monitoring and Surveillance Center for Zoonotic Diseases in Wildlife and Exotic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Arun Chumkaeo
- Songkhla Provincial Livestock Office, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Marius Gilbert
- Spatial Epidemiology Lab. (SpELL), University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
- Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS), University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Anuwat Wiratsudakul
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Public Health, and the Monitoring and Surveillance Center for Zoonotic Diseases in Wildlife and Exotic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
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10
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Bacus MG, Buenaventura SGC, Mamites AMC, Elizagaque HG, Labrador CC, Delfin FC, Eng MNJ, Lagare AP, Marquez GN, Murao LAE. Genome-based local dynamics of canine rabies virus epidemiology, transmission, and evolution in Davao City, Philippines, 2018-2019. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2021; 92:104868. [PMID: 33878454 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.104868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Rabies is a fatal zoonotic and neglected tropical disease caused by the rabies virus (RABV) and is associated with neuronal dysfunction and death, with dogs as the predominant carrier. The Philippines plans to eradicate rabies by 2022, but this is challenged with sub-optimal coverage of vaccination programs coupled with sustained transmission chains, making it unable to eradicate the disease. We investigated the dynamics of canine rabies in the highly urbanized Davao City of the Philippines and its neighboring localities by assessing genetic relationships, transmission patterns, selection pressure, and recombination events using the whole genome sequence of 49 RABV cases from June 2018 to May 2019, majority of which (46%) were from the district of Talomo, Davao City. Although phylogeographic clustering was observed, local variants also exhibited genetic sub-lineages. Phylogenetic and spatial transmission analysis provided evidence for intra- and inter-city transmission predominantly through the Talomo district of Davao City. Around 84% of the cases were owned dogs, but the genetic similiarity of RABVs from stray and owned dogs further alluded to the role of the former as transmission vectors. The high rate of improper vaccination among the affected dogs (80%) was also a likely contributor to transmission. The RABV population under Investigation is generally under strong purifying selection with no evidence of vaccine evasion due to the genetic homogeneity of viruses from vaccinated and improperly vaccinated dogs. However, some homologous recombination (HR) events were identified along the G and L genes, also predominantly associated with viruses from Talomo. The complementary findings on epidemiology, transmission, and recombination for Talomo suggest that high incidence areas can be seeds for virus dispersal and evolution. We recommend further Investigations on the possibility of HR in future large-scale genome studies. Finally, districts associated with these phenomena can be targeted for evidence-based local strategies that can help break RABV transmission chains and prevent emergence of novel strains in Davao City.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Bacus
- Philippine Genome Center Mindanao, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Tugbok District, Mintal, Davao City, Philippines
| | - Sheryl Grace C Buenaventura
- Department of Biological Sciences and Environmental Studies, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Tugbok District, Mintal, Davao City, Philippines
| | - Allan Michael C Mamites
- Department of Biological Sciences and Environmental Studies, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Tugbok District, Mintal, Davao City, Philippines
| | - Hannah G Elizagaque
- Department of Biological Sciences and Environmental Studies, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Tugbok District, Mintal, Davao City, Philippines
| | - Christian C Labrador
- Philippine Genome Center Mindanao, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Tugbok District, Mintal, Davao City, Philippines
| | - Frederick C Delfin
- DNA Analysis Laboratory, Natural Sciences Research Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Ma Noreen J Eng
- Davao City Veterinary Office, Pichon St., Davao City, Philippines
| | - Arlene P Lagare
- Davao City Veterinary Office, Pichon St., Davao City, Philippines
| | - Gloria N Marquez
- Davao City Veterinary Office, Pichon St., Davao City, Philippines
| | - Lyre Anni E Murao
- Department of Biological Sciences and Environmental Studies, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Tugbok District, Mintal, Davao City, Philippines; Philippine Genome Center Mindanao, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Tugbok District, Mintal, Davao City, Philippines.
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11
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Warembourg C, Wera E, Odoch T, Bulu PM, Berger-González M, Alvarez D, Abakar MF, Maximiano Sousa F, Cunha Silva L, Alobo G, Bal VD, López Hernandez AL, Madaye E, Meo MS, Naminou A, Roquel P, Hartnack S, Dürr S. Comparative Study of Free-Roaming Domestic Dog Management and Roaming Behavior Across Four Countries: Chad, Guatemala, Indonesia, and Uganda. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:617900. [PMID: 33748208 PMCID: PMC7970034 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.617900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Dogs play a major role in public health because of potential transmission of zoonotic diseases, such as rabies. Dog roaming behavior has been studied worldwide, including countries in Asia, Latin America, and Oceania, while studies on dog roaming behavior are lacking in Africa. Many of those studies investigated potential drivers for roaming, which could be used to refine disease control measures. However, it appears that results are often contradictory between countries, which could be caused by differences in study design or the influence of context-specific factors. Comparative studies on dog roaming behavior are needed to better understand domestic dog roaming behavior and address these discrepancies. The aim of this study was to investigate dog demography, management, and roaming behavior across four countries: Chad, Guatemala, Indonesia, and Uganda. We equipped 773 dogs with georeferenced contact sensors (106 in Chad, 303 in Guatemala, 217 in Indonesia, and 149 in Uganda) and interviewed the owners to collect information about the dog [e.g., sex, age, body condition score (BCS)] and its management (e.g., role of the dog, origin of the dog, owner-mediated transportation, confinement, vaccination, and feeding practices). Dog home range was computed using the biased random bridge method, and the core and extended home range sizes were considered. Using an AIC-based approach to select variables, country-specific linear models were developed to identify potential predictors for roaming. We highlighted similarities and differences in term of demography, dog management, and roaming behavior between countries. The median of the core home range size was 0.30 ha (95% range: 0.17-0.92 ha) in Chad, 0.33 ha (0.17-1.1 ha) in Guatemala, 0.30 ha (0.20-0.61 ha) in Indonesia, and 0.25 ha (0.15-0.72 ha) in Uganda. The median of the extended home range size was 7.7 ha (95% range: 1.1-103 ha) in Chad, 5.7 ha (1.5-27.5 ha) in Guatemala, 5.6 ha (1.6-26.5 ha) in Indonesia, and 5.7 ha (1.3-19.1 ha) in Uganda. Factors having a significant impact on the home range size in some of the countries included being male dog (positively), being younger than one year (negatively), being older than 6 years (negatively), having a low or a high BCS (negatively), being a hunting dog (positively), being a shepherd dog (positively), and time when the dog was not supervised or restricted (positively). However, the same outcome could have an impact in a country and no impact in another. We suggest that dog roaming behavior is complex and is closely related to the owner's socioeconomic context and transportation habits and the local environment. Free-roaming domestic dogs are not completely under human control but, contrary to wildlife, they strongly depend upon humans. This particular dog-human bound has to be better understood to explain their behavior and deal with free-roaming domestic dogs related issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Warembourg
- Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Health Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ewaldus Wera
- Kupang State Agricultural Polytechnic (Politeknik Pertanian Negeri Kupang), West Timor, Indonesia
| | - Terence Odoch
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Petrus Malo Bulu
- Kupang State Agricultural Polytechnic (Politeknik Pertanian Negeri Kupang), West Timor, Indonesia
| | - Monica Berger-González
- Center for Health Studies, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Danilo Alvarez
- Center for Health Studies, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | | | - Filipe Maximiano Sousa
- Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Laura Cunha Silva
- Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Grace Alobo
- Kupang State Agricultural Polytechnic (Politeknik Pertanian Negeri Kupang), West Timor, Indonesia
| | - Valentin Dingamnayal Bal
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Enos Madaye
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Maria Satri Meo
- Animal Health Division, Agricultural Department of Sikka Regency, Flores, Indonesia
| | - Abakar Naminou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Pablo Roquel
- Center for Health Studies, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - Sonja Hartnack
- Section of Epidemiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Salome Dürr
- Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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12
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Warembourg C, Wera E, Odoch T, Bulu PM, Berger-González M, Alvarez D, Abakar MF, Maximiano Sousa F, Cunha Silva L, Alobo G, Bal VD, López Hernandez AL, Madaye E, Meo MS, Naminou A, Roquel P, Hartnack S, Dürr S. Comparative Study of Free-Roaming Domestic Dog Management and Roaming Behavior Across Four Countries: Chad, Guatemala, Indonesia, and Uganda. Front Vet Sci 2021. [PMID: 33748208 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.617900/full#b11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Dogs play a major role in public health because of potential transmission of zoonotic diseases, such as rabies. Dog roaming behavior has been studied worldwide, including countries in Asia, Latin America, and Oceania, while studies on dog roaming behavior are lacking in Africa. Many of those studies investigated potential drivers for roaming, which could be used to refine disease control measures. However, it appears that results are often contradictory between countries, which could be caused by differences in study design or the influence of context-specific factors. Comparative studies on dog roaming behavior are needed to better understand domestic dog roaming behavior and address these discrepancies. The aim of this study was to investigate dog demography, management, and roaming behavior across four countries: Chad, Guatemala, Indonesia, and Uganda. We equipped 773 dogs with georeferenced contact sensors (106 in Chad, 303 in Guatemala, 217 in Indonesia, and 149 in Uganda) and interviewed the owners to collect information about the dog [e.g., sex, age, body condition score (BCS)] and its management (e.g., role of the dog, origin of the dog, owner-mediated transportation, confinement, vaccination, and feeding practices). Dog home range was computed using the biased random bridge method, and the core and extended home range sizes were considered. Using an AIC-based approach to select variables, country-specific linear models were developed to identify potential predictors for roaming. We highlighted similarities and differences in term of demography, dog management, and roaming behavior between countries. The median of the core home range size was 0.30 ha (95% range: 0.17-0.92 ha) in Chad, 0.33 ha (0.17-1.1 ha) in Guatemala, 0.30 ha (0.20-0.61 ha) in Indonesia, and 0.25 ha (0.15-0.72 ha) in Uganda. The median of the extended home range size was 7.7 ha (95% range: 1.1-103 ha) in Chad, 5.7 ha (1.5-27.5 ha) in Guatemala, 5.6 ha (1.6-26.5 ha) in Indonesia, and 5.7 ha (1.3-19.1 ha) in Uganda. Factors having a significant impact on the home range size in some of the countries included being male dog (positively), being younger than one year (negatively), being older than 6 years (negatively), having a low or a high BCS (negatively), being a hunting dog (positively), being a shepherd dog (positively), and time when the dog was not supervised or restricted (positively). However, the same outcome could have an impact in a country and no impact in another. We suggest that dog roaming behavior is complex and is closely related to the owner's socioeconomic context and transportation habits and the local environment. Free-roaming domestic dogs are not completely under human control but, contrary to wildlife, they strongly depend upon humans. This particular dog-human bound has to be better understood to explain their behavior and deal with free-roaming domestic dogs related issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Warembourg
- Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Graduate School for Health Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ewaldus Wera
- Kupang State Agricultural Polytechnic (Politeknik Pertanian Negeri Kupang), West Timor, Indonesia
| | - Terence Odoch
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Petrus Malo Bulu
- Kupang State Agricultural Polytechnic (Politeknik Pertanian Negeri Kupang), West Timor, Indonesia
| | - Monica Berger-González
- Center for Health Studies, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala.,Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Danilo Alvarez
- Center for Health Studies, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | | | - Filipe Maximiano Sousa
- Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Laura Cunha Silva
- Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Grace Alobo
- Kupang State Agricultural Polytechnic (Politeknik Pertanian Negeri Kupang), West Timor, Indonesia
| | - Valentin Dingamnayal Bal
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Enos Madaye
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Maria Satri Meo
- Animal Health Division, Agricultural Department of Sikka Regency, Flores, Indonesia
| | - Abakar Naminou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Pablo Roquel
- Center for Health Studies, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - Sonja Hartnack
- Section of Epidemiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Salome Dürr
- Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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