Control of Dog Mediated Human Rabies in Haiti: No Time to Spare

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2015 Jun 25;9(6):e0003806. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003806. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

The American region has pledged to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies by 2015. As part of these efforts, we describe the findings of a desk and field mission review of Haiti's rabies situation by the end of 2013. While government officials recognize the importance of dog-mediated rabies control, and the national rabies plan adequately contemplates the basic capacities to that effect, regular and sufficient implementation, for example, of dog vaccination, is hampered by limited funding. Compounding insufficient funding and human resources, official surveillance figures do not accurately reflect the risk to the population, as evidenced by the large number of rabid dogs detected by focalized and enhanced surveillance activities conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development (MARNDR) and the Health and Population Ministry (MSPP) with the technical assistance of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although international support is common, either in the form of on-the-ground technical support or donations of immunobiologicals, it is not comprehensive. In addition, there is limited coordination with MARNDR/MSPP and with other actors at the strategic or operational level due to human resources limitations. Given these findings, the 2015 elimination goal in the region is compromised by the situation in Haiti where control of the disease is not yet in sight despite the best efforts of the resolute national officials. More importantly, dog-mediated rabies is still a threat to the Haitian population.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Disease Eradication / economics
  • Disease Eradication / methods*
  • Dog Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Dog Diseases / prevention & control*
  • Dog Diseases / transmission*
  • Dogs
  • Epidemiological Monitoring / veterinary
  • Haiti / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Neglected Diseases / epidemiology
  • Neglected Diseases / prevention & control
  • Neglected Diseases / veterinary*
  • Rabies / epidemiology
  • Rabies / prevention & control
  • Rabies / transmission
  • Rabies / veterinary*
  • Vaccination / veterinary
  • Zoonoses / epidemiology
  • Zoonoses / prevention & control*
  • Zoonoses / virology

Grants and funding

MFM, JBPL, and RW received no specific funding for this work. EC, VJDRV, JMR, JLP, and OC contributed to the work as part of PAHO regional technical cooperation role, for which general funds exist. Both CDC and PAHO had a role in the study design and other stages. CDC support the dog surveillance activities, and PAHO the mission to Haiti (for EC and VJDRV), involvement of colleagues from PAHO Haiti office (JMR and JLP) and Panaftosa (OC). Neither PAHO nor CDC supported the ministries or their employees (MFM and JBPL).