JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE AND VETERINARY MEDICINE
Integrity Research Journals
ISSN: 2536-7099
Model: Open Access/Peer Reviewed
DOI: 10.31248/JASVM
Start Year: 2016
Email: jasvm@integrityresjournals.org
Prevalence of rabies in apparently healthy slaughtered dogs in Southern Gombe, Nigeria
https://doi.org/10.31248/JASVM2025.547 | Article Number: 22405B9A9 | Vol.10 (2) - April 2025
Received Date: 13 March 2025 | Accepted Date: 26 April 2025 | Published Date: 30 April 2025
Authors: Elizabeth TANIMU* , Julius Olaniyi AIYEDUN , Ishaya Sini TEKKI , Tochukwu Fortunetus OBIALIGWE , Iranyang Bazon UKO and Kingsley Chidinma EKECHUKWU
Keywords: Nigeria., rabies, Direct Fluorescent Antibody Test (DFAT), slaughtered dogs, Southern Gombe.
Rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease with significant public health implications, particularly in rural areas of Nigeria. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of rabies in dogs slaughtered in Southern Gombe, Gombe State. A cross-sectional study was conducted, during which 120 brain samples from dogs were collected from slaughter slabs in Billiri, Kaltungo, and Shongom Local Government Areas. The samples were tested for rabies antigens using the Direct Fluorescent Antibody Test (DFAT) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The results revealed a 10.83% prevalence of rabies antigen in slaughtered dogs, with 13 out of 120 samples testing positive using DFAT. PCR confirmed the presence of rabies antigens in 2 out of the 13 positive samples (15.4%). The study underscores the concerning prevalence of rabies in slaughtered dogs in Southern Gombe. It is recommended that targeted rabies education campaigns and the adoption of a One Health approach be implemented to enhance rabies surveillance and control in the region and to protect individuals who may come into contact with infected animals.
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