Citation

Thiptara A, Atwill ER, Kongkaew W, Chomel BB. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 2011; 85(1): 138-145.

Affiliation

Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA. thiptara9@yahoo.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Publisher American Society of Tropical Medicine)

DOI

10.4269/ajtmh.2011.10-0535

PMID

21734139

PMCID

PMC3122358

Abstract

Rabies and associated risk factors in dogs, cats and cattle (n = 3,454) in southern Thailand during 1994-2008 were evaluated by using a mixed-effect logistic regression model. Overall prevalence was 48%. In dogs, odds of being rabid were 1.7 times higher in unvaccinated dogs than in vaccinated dogs and two times higher in dogs with bite history than in dogs with no known bite history. Similarly, aggressive dogs were more likely to be rabid than non-aggressive dogs. In cattle, aggression, pharyngeal paralysis, hyperactivity, and depression were clinical signs associated with being rabid. Annual fluctuations of the species-specific prevalence of rabies is suggestive of a positive correlation between canine and either feline (r = 0.60, P = 0.05) or bovine rabies (r = 0.78, P = 0.004). Insufficient vaccination coverage led to maintenance of rabies, which could be easily controlled by increased vaccine coverage and public education.

Keywords: Animal Bites; Dog Bites

Language: en