Veterinary Science & Technology

Rabies is one of the seventeen major neglected tropical diseases with the highest human case fatality rate approaching 100%. The disease is caused by an enveloped neurotropic, negative sense, non-segmented, single-stranded; a bullet shaped RNA virus that belongs to the Lyssavirus genus of the Rhabdoviridae family, Mononegavirale order. Rabies virus enters the body through wounds or by direct contact with mucosal surfaces, but cannot cross intact skin. The virus replicates in the bitten muscle and gains access to motor end plates and rapidly ascends the nervous system to the brain by entering the pre-synaptic nerve ending through endocytosis, and may be associated with synaptic vesicles. Dog mediated rabies is known to account for over 90% of human exposure and death cases in Ethiopia and elsewhere. The differences in KAP score among participants were dependent on Variable such as sex, educational status, and source of information, monthly income, and residence. Recommended first aid procedures for post exposure include immediate and thorough flushing and washing of the wound for a minimum of 15 minutes with soap and water, as well as disinfecting the wound with detergent or other substances of proven lethal effect on the rabies virus. It may be noted that although no specific antivirals exist at present, the combination of prompt rabies PEP, wound care, infiltration of RIG into and around the wound, and multiple doses of rabies cell-culture vaccine is 100% effective in preventing human rabies. An increasing number of stray dogs and the absence of legislation to determine and certify the status of vaccinated and non-vaccinated dogs and lack of utilization of modern anti rabies vaccines create difficulty to control the disease in the country.