Rabies Vaccination in Dogs in Laos: Owner Knowledge and Serological Status of Dogs

Abstract

Rabies is an infectious disease which is virtually 100% fatal. Humans are most often infected through the bite of an infected dog, and most cases could be prevented by vaccinating dogs. However, vaccination coverage is insufficient in most countries where canine rabies occurs endemically. This study conducted interviews and sampling of dogs in Laos to understand more about the barriers for vaccination and to evaluate the antibody status of dogs using a commercial ELISA. The study found that only 62% out of 359 dog owners knew what rabies was, and only 24% knew the disease could be fatal. Higher education was associated with higher knowledge scores. Only 56 out of 437 (13%) dogs had been rabies vaccinated according to their owner, and out of these dogs, only 34 (61%) had antibodies, and only 48% had adequate levels (above 0.5 IU/mL). However, 24% of the dogs with no known history of vaccination had antibodies, indicating either exposure or vaccination in the past without the owner’s awareness. In conclusion, this study indicates that there is a low level of knowledge about rabies, and that owner knowledge is not a good indicator of whether a dog is vaccinated or not.

Epidemiological Associations between Rabies Vaccination and Dog Owner Characteristics

“…A study in China found that owners not recognizing the need for vaccination or not being aware of local policies about rabies vaccination were negatively associated with vaccination in dogs [ 20 ]. Studies in Thailand and Laos People’s Democratic Republic suggested that lower education level of owners and having a free-roaming dog were negatively associated with vaccinating dogs [ 21 , 22 ]. According to a study from Haiti, higher willingness to pay for rabies vaccination was negatively associated with vaccinating dogs.…”

A Cross-sectional Study of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding Rabies Among Residents of Kabul City, Afghanistan

“…Rabies is a vaccine-preventable zoonotic disease caused by a Lyssavirus genus of the Rhabdoviridae family (Velander et al, 2022). The disease is usually fatal once clinical symptoms are appeared (Alam et al, 2020).…”