Trends in Animal Rabies Surveillance in the Endemic State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

Rabies is a viral zoonosis affecting mammal species and causes large economic losses. Included among the neglected diseases, it is still insufficiently addressed by governments and the international community, despite formal surveillance and control programs. This study used a dataset of 10,112 rabies diagnoses in animals provided by the Brazilian passive surveillance system from 2001 to 2012. The positivity rate of the tested samples was 26.4%, and a reduction in the total samples sent during the last six years was observed. The kernel density map indicated case concentration in the south region and a decrease in density of rabies cases in the second period studied (2007 to 2012). The directional trend of positive rabies diagnoses remained in the south region, as shown by the standard deviational ellipse. The spatial scan statistic identified three large clusters of positive diagnoses, one in the first period (2001-2006) and two in the second period (2007-2012), indicating an expansion of risk areas. The decrease in rabies cases from 2006 to 2012 does not necessarily reflect lower viral circulation or improvement in actions by epidemiological surveillance; this decrease could indicate a deficiency in epidemiological surveillance during the observation period due to the increase in the silent areas. Surveillance should maintain an increasing or constant number of tests during the years in addition to a reduction in the number of outbreaks of rabies, which would indicate a lower positivity rate. The findings in this study indicate deterioration in the effectiveness of the passive surveillance for rabies. The number of rabies cases, total number of tests performed and positivity rate are good indicators for evaluating passive surveillance. This paper can function as a guide for the assessment and improvement of the actions in passive surveillance of rabies.

Análisis de indicadores epidemiológicos: Brucelosis bovina en la Costa Atlántica y Antioquia - Colombia, 2005-2013

“…According to data from the National Agricultural en la vigilancia epidemiológica de enfermedades infecciosas (11)(12)(13)(14)(15). Una condición ideal en la vigilancia epidemiológica es la continuidad o aumento constante en el número de diagnósticos y la disminución o proximidad hacia 0 en la tasa de positividad; la integralidad de estas condiciones indica mejora en el control, prevención y erradicación de enfermedades infecciosas (14,16).…”

“…The number of diagnoses, cases, and the rate of positivity are basic parameters that should be considered in an integrated way, in epidemiological surveillance of infectious diseases (11)(12)(13)(14)(15). An ideal condition in epidemiological surveillance is the continuity or constant increase in the number of diagnoses and the decrease or proximity to 0 in the positivity rate; The comprehensiveness of these conditions indicates improvement in the control, prevention and eradication of infectious diseases (14,16 The effectiveness of surveillance can be inferred by the rates of diagnoses in farms (TDP) and cattle (TDB), these rates express the relative representativeness of brucellosis sampling in each department.…”

“…An ideal condition in epidemiological surveillance is the continuity or constant increase in the number of diagnoses and the decrease or proximity to 0 in the positivity rate; The comprehensiveness of these conditions indicates improvement in the control, prevention and eradication of infectious diseases (14,16 The effectiveness of surveillance can be inferred by the rates of diagnoses in farms (TDP) and cattle (TDB), these rates express the relative representativeness of brucellosis sampling in each department. During the study period, the year 2012 was the one that showed the greatest historical sampling representativeness in all departments.…”

Caracterização da exposição a raiva na colômbia, 2007-2011

“…In most countries of the world where rabies is endemic, surveillance of rabies infections in humans is carried out using different strategies such as detection of people in close contact with potential transmitters of the disease (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6). Especially, as rabies is spread through close contact with infectious material, usually saliva, bites or scratches of infected animals (7).…”

Perfil da ocorrência de raiva animal em diferentes espécies no Estado de Mato Grosso, Brasil, de 2002 a 2011

“…Segundo Oviedo-Pastrana et al (2015), a utilização de técnicas de análise de distribuição espacial se combinadas com outras fontes de informação, como os quantitativos de casos de raiva, de testes realizados e a taxa de positividade, contribuem para avaliar as ações de vigilância passiva da raiva.…”