Rabies Statement #1 - No one wants rabies. So we better know what we are doing.
sembang sembang
Rabies Statement #1 - No one wants rabies. So we better know what we are doing.
Press Statement by YB Yap Soo Huey, 21st September 2015
(YB Yap Soo Huey is a virologist who worked in a Public Health and Medical Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia before returning to Malaysia)
1) World Health Organisation (WHO) emphasises on vaccination for rabies control because data and experiences from other countries clearly shows that culling does not work to reduce rabies transmission.
2) It is faster and easier to achieve widespread vaccination than widespread culling
3) Malaysia Animal Act 1953 provides clear mechanism for use of vaccination for rabies control, culling is not mandatory.
4) The likelihood of rabies to human transmission is lower than currently speculated in local media
— Request for Department of Veterinary Services to clarify advice given to Penang State Government that WHO recommends both vaccination and culling, and clarification if priority will be given for mass vaccination
1) WHO emphasises on vaccination for rabies control because data and experiences from other countries clearly shows that culling does not work to reduce rabies transmission.
In the past few days, the Penang State Government and the Penang public have been given the impression that the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends for both vaccination and mass culling of dogs to be carried out concurrently to control rabies.
I request for the experts from Department of Veterinary Services and Department of Health who made this recommendation to review and clarify their advice based on the following information.
i). A check of the WHO website (http://www.who.int/rabies/dogs/en/) will reveal the following statements:
“Further to recent reports indicating that indiscriminate mass culling of dogs is still used in certain countries as the principal measure to combat dog rabies and prevent associated human rabies. The WHO wishes to reiterate the recommendations of the Expert Consultation on Rabies held in Geneva, October 2004:
Dog destruction alone is not effective in rabies control. There is no evidence that removal of dogs alone has ever had a significant impact on dog population densities or the spread of rabies. In addition, dog removal may be unacceptable to local communities. However, the targeted and humane removal of unvaccinated, ownerless dogs may be effective when used as a supplementary measure to mass vaccination. Mass canine vaccination campaigns have been the most effective measure for controlling canine rabies…”
ii). Evidence that culling was not able to control rabies, and rabies was only successfully controlled after the government shifted their focus to mass vaccination:
- Rabies persisted in foxes despite intensive culling in New York State following an outbreak in 1945, but vaccination of dogs eliminated rabies from this species;
- Similarly, rabies outbreaks in foxes continued in Denmark despite culling, but rabies was successfully controlled amongst dogs by using vaccination.
- Rabies is still a threat in Flores, Indonesia even though about 300,000 dogs (half the dog population) were killed over 4 years in response to an outbreak in 1997.
- In Korea and Israel, culling did not control rabies. Instead, rabies only got under control after mass vaccination began.
iii). Statistically, studies suggest that you need to kill and reduce total (pet and strays) dog population to as low as 1.36 dogs per square km to prevent transmission of rabies. This is almost impossible to achieve, so resources and priority should be given to vaccination.
iv). Mass culling can lead to following side effects which make efforts to control rabies even more difficult:
- Dogs running away from their usual territory, so making it more difficult to predict, find and reach them,
- Dogs running away potentially spreads rabies even further,
- In many places where government try mass culling, many people respond by helping dogs run away to other places or try to hide dogs by bringing them home; When people start bringing dogs home, it usually involves moving dogs from a place with less people to a place with more people, therefore the result is actually increasing the risk of rabies transmission.
2) It is faster and easier to achieve widespread vaccination than widespread culling
Rabies vaccination of stray dogs can be achieved by oral vaccination. It is easier and faster to vaccinate dogs because you can lure them in with food and vaccinate many dogs at a time while they are gathered in a group to feed. Conversely, dogs will run away and scatter when officers go in to kill.
An international organisation - World Veterinary Services - has offered to assist the Penang State Government by bringing in vaccines for stray dogs and manpower to train personnel. *In view of the shortage of vaccines nationwide, this is our best hope of controlling rabies when all things are considered. Therefore, best effort must be made to fast track and understand WVS requirements, including preparing the necessary customs and immigration approvals.
3) Malaysia Animal Act 1953 provides clear mechanism for use of vaccination for rabies control, culling is not mandatory.
Animal Act 1953 merely states that dogs in rabies-infected area have to be kept confined, securely tied up or leased. Dogs that do not fulfil this may be destroyed by persons authorised in writing by the State Director of Dept of Veterinary Services. However, the State Director has the authority to exempt any class of dogs (including strays) from needing to be confined, tied up or leased, if she is satisfied that the dog is suitably vaccinated.
PS- Don't just believe what people tell you about the Animal Act. Just google "Animal Act 1953" and make up your own mind.
4) The likelihood of rabies to human transmission is lower than currently speculated in local media
A study (Vaidya et al. BMC Public Health, 2010, 10:278) suggests that when a human is bitten by any dog, the chance that the dog is able to pass rabies virus to the human is 1 person of out 100,000 persons bitten by any dog (it can happen whether or not the dog is infected by rabies). Even if a rabid dog passes on the rabies virus to a human being, the human can be treated effectively if he/she receives treatment within a few days of the bite/scratch. Instead of being alarmed, we should advise everyone to seek medical attention ASAP if they are bitten or scratched by an animal. This education should be given to people whether or not we have a rabies scare.
CONCLUSION:
I request for DVS and Dept of Health to:
- Explain / clarify their advice in view of the points I raise above; and
- Confirm their priority in terms of focus, manpower, planning and resources.
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