Reappearance of rabies in Greece
Triantafyllou Argyro
Hospital Hygeia, Greece
: J Immunol Tech Infect Dis
Abstract
I n Greece no case of rabies in animals has been recorded since 1987 and the last case of infection to humans has been recorded in 1970. Since 2012, 48 cases of rabies cases have been recorded in animals (40 foxes and 5 dogs) and more than 376 cases of people have been recorded who have been in contact with animals infected or possibly infected by rabies virus. In Europe 6000 animals die every year from rabies and 8-10 people per year, all in countries of the former Soviet Union. In Balkans because of the political and social disorders in recent years and the failure of the public health system to respond to new circumstances, there is a reemergence of rabies in foxes as well as in domestic cats, cattle and sheep. In Albania and Fyrom, the last decade there have been no cases in humans, while in Turkey 1-2 incidents are reported ,because they don’t take the appropriate treatment.(Table 1). In Greece, a red fox in the area of Kozani was found positive for rabies virus ,on 19 October 2012. Since then, there have been 48 cases, mainly in north Greece.(table 2). The reappearance of the disease can be attributed to various causes, such as the presence of rabies in our neighboring countries, the movement of wild animals from these countries to Greece and the collapse of former Yugoslavia that resulted in ineffective control during and after the war. The lack of action by the State is another factor. From 2004, scientists pointed out the presence of rabies in neighboring countries and had proposed measures such as the airdrops of vaccines in baits, but had not been heard from the state, because it was considered unnecessary and costly. Airdrops of vaccines began the following year, in October of 2013, while they should have begun six months before, in March, which is the time of reproduction of foxes and likely to transmit rabies among them, so there was a delay of six months. This was done because the competition for the acquisition of the vaccines lasted several months, as there was a large participation of companies, but some did not meet the appropriate criteria. Necessary measures to limit the disease are: Continuous surveillance, reduction and vaccination of stray animals, vaccination of wild animals, passive and active surveillance, informing the public, collaboration between the authorities, medical doctors, veterinarians, Ministry of Rural Development and Food, Ministry of Health, KEELPNO, collaboration of Greece with neighboring countries. Country Year Domestic animals Wild life Bat Human Cases Total Albania 2012 3 0 0 0 3 Albania 2013 0 0 0 0 0 Bulgaria 2012 0 1 0 0 1 Bulgaria 2013 0 0 0 0 0 Bulgaria 2014 0 2 0 0 0 Macedonia 2012 1 2 0 0 3 Macedonia 2013 0 0 0 0 0 Macedonia 2014 0 0 0 0 0 Turkey 2012 439 57 0 1 497 Turkey 2013 496 54 0 0 550 Turkey 2014 622 93 0 0 715 Total 1569 209 0 1 1771 Epidemiology of rabies in Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Turkey from 2012 till 2014
Biography
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