TITLE:
Epidemiological Profile of Pet Bites and Rabies Cases from 2005-2015: Case of the City of Lubumbashi in the DRC
AUTHORS:
Nathalie Nseya, André Ngombe Kaseba, Charles Muhadila, Jean Claude Mbang, Claude Yav, Ghislain Kikunda, Augustin Mutombo Mulangu, Philippe Mulenga Cilundika, Oscar Luboya Numbi, Eric Mukomena Sompwe
KEYWORDS:
Epidemiology, Bites, Rabies, Lubumbashi
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Veterinary Medicine,
Vol.12 No.3,
March
31,
2022
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Rabies, a neglected disease, could be grossly underreported in the
DRC; in the absence of post-exposure prophylaxis, the WHO estimates that this
disease would cause 327,000 deaths per year in Africa and Asia. The
objective of this study is to determine the epidemiological profile of this
zoonosis in order to encourage decision-makers to develop national strategies
for its elimination. Materials and Methods: We conducted a
cross-sectional descriptive study. Data collection was done retrospectively and
in total6 420 victims of bites received during the period between January 2005 and
December 2015 at the anti-rabies center in Lubumbashi were included in this
work. Excel 13 software and Epi info 3.3.4 were used for data analysis and interpretation. Results: People over the age of 15 are the main victims of canine bites
(62.1%), more than half of the victims are male (55.9%); dogs represent the
majority of biting animals (96.4%) of which around 3/4 are unvaccinated (71.37%). Two municipalities are more affected:
Lubumbashi (prevalence 83.35/100,000 and Kampemba
(Prevalence 51.74/100,000). LBite peaks were observed from July to October (p = 0.01). For the
34 people seen with clinical signs of rabies encephalitis (confirmed case of
rabies), the case fatality rate was 100%. Conclusion: Rabies is a major
problem in Lubumbashi but its extent is different depending on the
municipality. The dog is the main biting animal and the vaccination coverage of
dogs remains very low. Access to rabies vaccine for bite victims is difficult.
Its elimination remains possible through the implementation of an extensive
canine vaccination program, the awareness of owners and the large-scale
provision of post-exposure prophylaxis.