One health perspective on Rabies: Incidence and risk factors in humans and livestock in Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Background

Rabies is a widespread disease affecting all warm-blooded animals. In developing countries, most human mortalities originate from rabid dogs. Every year, rabies is responsible for an estimated 60,000 human deaths worldwide, with 15 million people receiving rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), 4 million disability-adjusted life years, and 9 billion US$ dollars in economic losses. Incidence and associated risk factors of rabies in humans and livestock were conducted in North-West Ethiopia with the aim of quantifying the incidence and associated risk factors of rabies.

Methods

The prospective follow-up of rabid victims was recorded in seven districts of North-West Ethiopia for 18 consecutive months. Information from victims or bit animal owners was collected, entered into Excel, and analyzed using Stata 17.

Results

A total of 393 rabid suspected cases were recorded during the follow-up period, of which 293 were bites by potentially rabid animals and 100 were probable rabid cases. Males to female ratio of human victims was (59.46 % vs. 40.54 %, respectively). Dog owned were more infected (62 %) than non-dog owned. Dogs were the major animals (>96 %) for exposure. The 5–14 years age group had the highest number of bites in human cases. The legs/feet (53.5 %) were the most affected body part. The mortality rate of humans was 2.09 per 100,000 people per year during the current outbreak.

Conclusion

People living in rural residences, males, and having dogs in the house were the main risk factors for exposure to rabies. Hence, rabies continues to pose a threat to humans and animals.