Rabies outbreak on a goat farm in a suburb of Cape Coast, Ghana: An epidemiologic investigation

Objective

Rabies is a zoonotic viral disease that affects approximately 60,000 individuals worldwide each year. Although rabies can infect all warm-blooded animals, its occurrence in goats is relatively rare. This study investigated and reports a rabies outbreak on a goat farm in Ghana.

Design

A 10-month-old Boer goat was presented to a teaching hospital exhibiting ataxia and paddling movements, and it succumbed to the disease a day after presentation. Farm records indicated that 14 out of 57 goats had died within a month, but all were buried without laboratory testing or diagnosis. A guard dog on the farm, which consumed the carcass of one of the affected goats, died 13 days post-consumption.

Results

Brain tissues from both animals were tested for rabies using conventional reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and both tested positive for rabies infection. The outbreak was managed on the farm through the immediate administration of anti-rabies vaccinations to the remaining goats and post-exposure prophylaxis to attendants who had been exposed through handling.

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge this represents the first reported outbreak of rabies in goats in Ghana, underscoring the need for enhanced surveillance and public education to safeguard lives.