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Rabies control in Mexico
C H Alvarez Lucas1, F Vargas Pino, G Baer
1Prevention Programs General Direction, México. zoonosis@podernet.com.mx
Abstract:
Rabies in dogs was unknown in the Americas before the arrival of the Spanish "Conquistadores". Until the mid-1980s rabies in animals and, in turn in humans, changed little from year to year, with the number of dog vaccinations reported annually rarely reaching one million. In Mexico, the national rabies control programme using mass parenteral vaccination of dogs started in 1990 with about seven million dogs vaccinated the same year. The number of vaccinated dogs exceeded 10 and 15 million in 1995 and 2005, respectively. Modern cell culture-based inactivated rabies virus vaccines were used. A key factor for the success of the dog rabies control program was the supply of potent canine rabies vaccines. Between 1990 and 2005, more than 150 million vaccine doses from 300 lots were administered. Each lot was tested for potency prior to use in the field. The required minimum content of rabies virus antigen for vaccines was 2 IU, in accord with WHO standards. Testing revealed antigen contents ranging from 3.28 to 5.59 IU. As a result of the mass dog vaccination campaigns, human rabies cases due to dog-mediated rabies decreased from 60 in 1990 to 0 in 2000. The number of rabies cases in dogs decreased from 3,049 in 1990 to 70 cases last year.
Insights
Mexico
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Canine rabies was historically absent in the Americas prior to European arrival.
- Annual dog vaccinations remained below one million until the 1990s, with consistent rabies incidence in animals and humans.
- Dog-mediated rabies posed a significant public health concern in Mexico for decades.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of a national mass dog vaccination program on rabies control in Mexico.
- To assess the effectiveness of modern canine rabies vaccines in reducing disease transmission.
- To document the reduction in canine and human rabies cases following the implementation of the control program.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of a national rabies control program in Mexico starting in 1990, featuring mass parenteral vaccination of dogs.
- Utilization of modern cell culture-based inactivated rabies virus vaccines adhering to World Health Organization (WHO) standards (minimum 2 IU antigen content).
- Annual monitoring of vaccinated dog populations, vaccine potency testing, and tracking of rabies cases in dogs and humans from 1990 to 2005.
Main Results:
- Vaccination coverage rapidly increased from approximately 7 million dogs in 1990 to over 15 million by 2005.
- Over 150 million vaccine doses were administered between 1990 and 2005, with all lots tested for potency (ranging from 3.28 to 5.59 IU).
- Dog-mediated human rabies cases plummeted from 60 in 1990 to zero by 2000.
- Rabies cases in dogs dramatically decreased from 3,049 in 1990 to 70 in the final year of the study period.
Conclusions:
- Mass vaccination campaigns using potent canine rabies vaccines are highly effective in controlling and eliminating dog-mediated rabies.
- The Mexican national rabies control program successfully eradicated dog-mediated rabies, significantly improving public health.
- Sustained high vaccination coverage and quality-controlled vaccines are crucial for long-term rabies prevention in canine populations.
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