Dr Sumathy Puvanendiran, BVSc,M.Phil,PhD(USA) Veterinary Research Officer Dept of Animal Production & Health Sri Lanka

Dr Sumathy Puvanendiran, BVSc,M.Phil,PhD(USA) Veterinary Research Officer Dept of Animal Production & Health Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Island in Indian Ocean, land extent-64,000sq km, 9 provinces and 25 districts Each district is further divided into Divisional secretariats Population is 22million

Animal Health sector Department of Animal Production and Health (DAPH) is a major player Comes under Ministry Livestock and Rural Development Veterinary Surgeons Veterinary Research Officers Veterinary Investigation officers Other supporting staff

DAPH plays a major role in Animal Health through extensive network of Vets Dept. of Animal Production and Health Field Veterinary Offices Research Animal Breeding Planning Human Health Resource Development Veterinary Regulator y affairs Veterinary Research Institute Veterinary Investigation Centers Animal Quarantine Station

Animal Health (Contd) Faculty of Veterinary medicine Public health veterinary services Comes under Ministry of Health Preventing zoonotic diseases Rabies control program is the main zoonotic control program Provincial health services are responsible for implementation

Rabies in Sri Lanka Notifiable disease Canine rabies- endemic and significant public health importance Other important species- cats and domestic ruminants

Rabies in Wild life Wild animals- Mongoose Sylvatic rabies virus variant found in golden palm civet

Animal Rabies -Year 2013 10% 1.4% 0% 87% Dogs cats cows Buffalo Goats Squirrels Rock Squirrels Mongoose Pole cat Total number of Animal rabies reported- 783 Dog is the main reservoir and 87% was reported among dogs

Epidemiology Dog population around 2.5 million (Dog:human ratio 1:8 in 2011) Stray dog population - 20-30% Animal bite incidence- 1500 dog bites/day

Rabies in humans Dog bite is the main reason;cats-2%, other animals-2% Currently circulating Sri Lankan rabies viruses originated from a single ancestor

Unique and originated from common ancestor Sylvatic rabies virus has not yet been transmitted to humans

Based on the G L region there are seven clades of rabies virus

Age distribution of human rabies

Number of human rabies deaths declines! 373 The number of human rabies deaths declined from 377 in 1973 to the present level 2012-38 2013-28 Source: Veterinary Public Health Services

Rabies Control Program Legislations to combat Rabies Rabies Ordinance (1896) Dog Registration Ordinance (1908) Veterinary Public Health unit was established in 1953 Rabies was declared as a notifiable disease (1971) Cabinet approval given to launch island wide 5 years rabies Eradication program (1975) Rabies control program continued for another 5 years and priority was given to eliminate stray dogs Decentralization of rabies control activities (1989)

Rabies Control Program 2006 - No-kill Policy Sterilization and vaccination of both owned and roaming dogs Available vaccines How animals are vaccinated Current vaccination schedule Coverage < 70% Surveillance of Rabies- > laboratory diagnosis essential for management of potential human exposures and for veterinarians to adopt appropriate measures towards animals in contact with a suspected animal case

Vaccination of Dogs and Cats 2012 2013 Dogs 1,250,406 1,324,469 Cats 10575 26092

Population control in dogs 2012 2013 Surgical 107473 146437 Chemical 49938 36372

Rabies Control Program Recent Developments Dog vaccination coverage and sterilization- below requirement New cabinet paper in 2012- identified Animal helth sector responsible for animal rabies 300,000 doses of rabies vaccine doses received by DAPH and 200,000 doses were issued to field until June, 2014

Laboratory Diagnosis of Rabies Rabies and vaccine QC of Medical Research Institute (MRI) long term player Karapitiya General Hospital

MRI Long term player Tests both human and animal samples National reference lab Available tests- Direct Fluorescent antibody test (FAT) Demonstration of Negri bodies by Sellers staining Mouse inoculation ELISA Trying to establish- RT-PCR, Cell culture

Samples analyzed by MRI-2013 Animals No received No. Positive Percent Positive Dogs 973 664 68.2 cats 370 77 20.8 cows 11 9 81.8 Pig 1 0 0.0 Buffalo 2 1 50.0 Goats 8 3 37.5 Squirrels 60 2 3.3 Rock Squirrels 6 1 16.6 Mongoose 10 4 40.0 RudyMongoos e 4 0 0.0 Pole cat 4 1 25.0 Monkey 5 0 0.0 Total 1454 762

Recent developments in Animal Health sector Rabies control unit- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science 5 Veterinary Invetigation Officers from different provinces were trained to do drit

Rabies diagnosis unit- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine & Animal Science Started recently Available tests Direct Fluorescent antibody test (FAT) Demonstration of Negri bodies by Sellers staining Mouse inoculation Histopathological examination of characteristic cell lesions ELISA

Samples analysed by Rabies control unit,peradeniya Animals No received No Positive Percent Positive Dogs 80 17 21.3 cats 29 2 6.9 cows 3 2 66.7 Squirrels 3 0 0.0 Rabbit 2 0 0.0 117 21 17.9

Strengths Strengths and weaknesses on laboratory diagnosis Possibility of involvement of VRI and VICs with recent involvement of AH sector in rabies control Extensive field laboratory network even in remote areas Weaknesses: Lack of coordination Lack of laboratory network

Challenges in rabies control Program Eradication /immunization of stray dogs Laboratory facilities- need to be decentralized, Administrative and financial support from relevant authorities Community and rural education, spread knowledge of rabies prevention Lack of close monitoring

Acknowledgement Dr P A Harischandra (Director/ Veterinary Public Health services) De G S P De S Gunawardana ( Senior Lecturer/ Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science) OIE Staff DAPH

Thank You