A retrospective study of rabies in puppies in Nigeria, 2012-2021

Rabies has no cure and this makes it one of the most fatal zoonotic diseases known to mankind. It is caused by a rabies virus in the genus Lyssavirus and family Rhabdoviridae. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of rabies in puppies less than 3 months of age in retrospect over 10 years at the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) Vom, Plateau State. Data was collected from laboratory diagnostic records in NVRI Vom, from 2012 to 2021. Data analysis was performed using SPSS Version 26 and the results presented in tables. The prevalence of rabies virus antigen for the period under review was determined from the total dog brain samples tested. The results revealed that 115 puppies tested were less than 3 months old and 67 (58.3%) were positive for rabies. Also, samples from 7 puppies yielded high-quality amplicons at the expected band size of 600bp. Extensive dog ecology study should be considered as part of control strategies against rabies. To achieve the global health agenda of zero human deaths due to dog-mediated rabies by 2030, there is a need to reduce incidents of rabies by sustained vaccination of dogs against rabies and a review of the minimum age for anti-rabies vaccination of puppies in Nigeria.