Incidencia del virus rábico en mangostas (Herpestes auropuntactus). Cuba, enero 2004 a diciembre 2011 / Incidence of rabies virus in mongooses (Herpestes auropuntactus). Cuba, January 2004 to December 2011

Objetivo: Analizar la incidencia del virus rábico en mangosta (Herpestes auropunctatus) de vida libre en Cuba, de enero 2004 a diciembre 2011. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo-retrospectivo en el Centro Provincial de Higiene Epidemiología y Microbiología (CPHEM), en el Laboratorio de Rabia, La Habana-Cuba. Se analizaron las muestras colectadas correspondientes a 561 cerebros de mangostas lesionadoras a humanos y de vigilancia epidemiológica perteneciente a catorce provincias del país, diagnosticadas mediante la técnica de inmunofluorescencia directa (IFD) y representadas mediante el sistemas de información Mapinfo. Resultados: El porcentaje total de positividad de las muestras estudiadas es de 47.95 por ciento; desde el punto de vista geográfico la mayor concentración de muestras positivas fue en las províncias del occidente del país y además Ciego de Ávila y Holguín. Conclusiones: El porcentaje de positividad en esta especie es de 47.95 por ciento. Siendo la mangosta el principal reservorio de la rabia en Cuba; no es suficiente el conocimiento, monitoreo, control y erradicación de esta especie; se debe realizar un mayor estudio morfomátrico para su control.

January 2004 to December 2011. Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study at the rabies laboratory of the Provincial Center of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology (CPHEM), Havana, Cuba. 561 brain samples from human attacker mongooses and epidemiological surveillance were analyzed, belonging to fourteen provinces. The diagnosis was made by direct immunofluorescence (DIF). Data were represented in the information system Mapinfo. Results: Results: The overall rate of positivity of the studied samples is 47.95 percent. From the geographical point of view the greatest concentration of positive samples was in the western provinces of the country and also Ciego de Avila and Holguin. Conclusions: The percentage of positivity in this species is of 47.95 percent. Since the mongoose is the main reservoir of rabies in Cuba, besides knowledge, monitoring, control and eradication of this species, more morphometric studies are needed for control.

Knowledge, attitude and practices about animal bites and rabies in general community--a multi-centric study.

Rabies a disease as old as our civilization, continues to be the most feared of all communicable diseases. Despite the availability the state-of-the-art tools which ensure near cent percent protection against rabies, India is the largest contributant to rabies mortality in the world. A multicentric study was carried out from April 2001 to September 2002 with the objective of assessing the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices (KAP) about animal bites and rabies in the general community. The proforma for interviewing the general community was developed and used after field testing. The study was carried out at six selected centres across the country viz. Delhi, Hyderabad, Raipur, Jamnagar, Coonoor and Rajahmundry and was co-ordinated by National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), Delhi, after thorough briefing of designated nodal officers. A total of 1129 (male: female :: 48.5: 51.5) persons in the age group of 18 to 80 years were interviewed in this study. Of these about 751% of the individuals had attended school at some level and rest were illiterates. 68.7% people had heard about rabies. In 60.7% of cases the community associates rabies with dog bite only. Knowledge about appropriate wound toilet was found to be inadequate. Only 360 (31.9%0/) people felt that washing the wound with soap and water was the best option. Application of indigenous products like chillies (11.4%), turmeric (5.6%), lime (6.8%), kerosene oil (2.3%), herbal paste (4.2%) etc was suggested along with visit to occult medicine practitioner (1.5%) as part of the bite wound management. People were not aware of number of injections needed for treatment of animal bites. Multiple reasons viz negligence and ignorance 354 (31.4%), fear of multiple painful injections 365 (32.3%), expensive treatment 169 (15%) and long course requiring daily visits to anti-rabies clinics 73 (6.5%) were cited as reasons for non-compliance of treatment. KAP study suggests that there is need to create awareness amongst the masses regarding epidemiology of the disease and merits of prompt and appropriate post exposure treatment through enhanced IEC activities.

Bioecología y estrategias de control de la mangosta(herpestes auropunctatus auropunctatus): importante reservorio de rabia en Cuba / Bioecology and control strategies for mongoose (herpestes auropunctatus auropunctatus), as a major rabies reservoir in Cuba

Las enfermedades zoonóticas tienen una relevante incidencia en la salud del hombre, constituyen un importante reservorio silvestre de rabia en Cuba, Herpestes auropunctatus auropunctatus, conocido como mangosta o mal llamado hurón se trajo a la isla con el propósito de controlar plagas de ratas. A diferencia de otros países, en Cuba existe un programa dirigido a vigilar la rabia, por lo que es muy importante la notificación de casos de manera completa. En este sentido hay que destacar que aunque el número de casos es relativamente reducido, se sabe que la letalidad de la enfermedad es alta, además del impacto psíquico y emocional, el sufrimiento y la ansiedad de las personas mordidas ante el temor de contraer la enfermedad, y de severos daños económicos que causa por las horas/hombres perdidas en los tratamientos antirrábicos, así como los gastos en el control de los vectores. Lamentablemente no se dispone de mucha información sobre la bioecología de H. auropunctatus auropunctatus, en nuestras condiciones naturales, lo cual es esencial a la hora de diseñar e implementar adecuadas estrategias de control. Es por ello que se realizó una revisión con el objetivo de acopiar toda la información publicada y disponible, así como la acumulada después de 20 años de trabajo de campo sobre el más importante reservorio de rabia silvestre en nuestro país. Con ello ayudaremos a ampliar los conocimientos sobre estudios de caracterización de riesgos, y facilitaremos la conformación de planes de promoción y prevención de la enfermedad

Rabies in mongooses and domestic rats in the southern province of Sri Lanka.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of rabies in free roaming mongooses and domestic rats in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, and determine the different species of mongooses and domestic rats that could be reservoirs of rabies infection. DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional study during the period July-September 1999. SETTING: The Southern Province of Sri Lanka. STUDY POPULATION: Fifty mongooses roaming in gardens (excluding the wildlife protected zones), and 100 domestic rats found inside houses from the Divisional Secretariats in Galle, Matara and Hambantota districts. SAMPLE COLLECTION AND TESTING: The animals were trapped and speciated. After decapitation, the head was cooled immediately and brought to the Medical Research Institute (MRI) with minimum delay. The fluorescent antibody test (FAT) was done on the dissected brains at the Department of Rabies, MRI. RESULTS: Of the mongooses caught, 32 were brown mongooses and 18 ruddy mongooses. Eleven mongooses were found to be positive for rabies antigen. All domestic rats examined (common Sri Lankan house rats 76, Indian house mice 17, brown rats 7) were found to be negative for rabies antigen. CONCLUSIONS: Rabies exists in mongooses in the Southern Province. Both brown and ruddy mongooses were found to be reservoirs. The domestic rats were unlikely to be reservoirs of rabies infection in this province.

Leptospiral carriage by mice and mongooses on the island of Barbados

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease, maintained by chronic infection of the kidneys of reservoir animals, usually small mammals. Infection in humans is acquired from direct or indirect exposure to the urine of infected animals. Leptospirosis has a high incidence in tropical regions, and has been studied extensively in several Caribbean countries. We studied the carriage of Leptospira serovars by two small mammals which are potential maintenance hosts of the disease in Barbados. A total of 136 mongooses (Herpestes auropunctatus) and 97 mice (Mus musculus) were caught in live traps. Leptospiral antibodies were detected by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) using antigens representing 12 serogroups, and kidney tissues were inoculated into polysorbate medium for isolation of leptospires. The seroprevalence (at a titre of > or = 100) in mice was 28.2 (24/85, 95 CI 19.0, 39.1) and in mongooses 40.7 (48/118, 95 CI 31.7, 50.1). In mice, antibodies were detected predominantly against serogroups Ballum and Autumnalis, while in mongooses the predominant serogroup was Autumnalis. Leptospires were isolated from 28 mice (28.9, 95 CI 20.1, 39.0) and from 4 mongooses (2.9, 95 CI 0.8, 7.4). Mouse isolates were identified as serovars arborea (17) and bim (7). As in other parts of the world, common house mice (Mus musculus) represent a significant reservoir of leptospirosis. Although carriage of the Ballum serovar, arborea, was not unexpected, this represents the first time that an animal reservoir of serovar bim has been identified. This is significant because bim causes about 63 of human leptospirosis in Barbados, and control efforts and education for prevention can now be targeted at a specific reservoir.

Epizootia de Rabia en mangostas, su posible relación con factores climáticos en un poblado del sur de Ciego de Ávila / Epizootic of rabies in mongooses, its possible relationship with climatic factors in a village located in the south of Ciego de Avila

Se estudió una epizootia de rabia en mangostas, ocurrida en el poblado de Júcaro, situado al sur de la provincia Ciego de Ávila. Se presentaron 5 casos, los cuales lesionaron a 5 personas, 2 cerdos y 1 canino. Se evaluó el comportamiento de la rabia animal en el territorio, en el período de 1987 a 1997. Se analizaron las precipitaciones y las temperaturas en el período de 1967 a 1997 (histórico). Se evaluó la presentación de temperaturas records y las precipitaciones en 1997. Se analizó la posible relación de esta epizootia con factores climáticos

Efectividad de la educación para la salud en la vigilancia de la rabia en mangosta / Effectiveness of health education in the surveillance of rabies in mangooses

Se instrumenta un programa de educación sanitaria sobre el papel de la mangosta como reservorio de rabia a partir de 1983, en la provincia Ciego de Avila. En el presente estudio se compara el número de muestras enviadas de mangostas, y los casos positivos de rabia en los períodos de 1977 a 1982 y de 1983 a 1988. En el primer período Ciego de Avila sólo estudió el 2,5 %del total de muestras del país, mientras que en el segundo investigó el 30,8 %del total de la república, lo que demuestra la efectividad del programa educativo ejecutado. La totalidad de rabia en mangosta varió del 1,8 %del total al 47 %. Se analizan las muestras investigadas de otras especies en la provincia Ciego de Avila, y los casos positivos de rabia