Rabies control in Liberia: Joint efforts towards zero by 30

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Dog rabies remains a significant endemic disease in Liberia, despite being a national priority.
• Existing surveillance and disease control activities require development and enhancement.
• A One Health approach is crucial for effective rabies control, involving all relevant stakeholders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish essential animal rabies diagnostic capabilities at the Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL).
• To foster collaboration among all stakeholders involved in rabies control efforts.
• To develop a costed, short-term action plan for rabies control and eventual elimination in Liberia.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of four rabies diagnostic tests: direct fluorescent antibody (DFA), direct immunohistochemical test (dRIT), reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and rapid immunochromatographic diagnostic test (RIDT).
• Conducted at the Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL) in Monrovia from July 2017 to February 2018.
• Convened a One Health rabies stakeholder meeting in 2018 to develop a practical workplan and vaccination strategy.

Main Results:

• Seven out of eight suspected animal samples (87.5%) tested positive for rabies lyssavirus.
• Molecular analysis confirmed all positive isolates belonged to the Africa 2 lineage, subgroup H.
• A costed mass dog vaccination strategy and a short-term action plan were developed.

Conclusions:

• Liberia is initiating national-level interventions, currently at stage 1.5/5 of the Stepwise Approach towards Rabies Elimination (SARE).
• An estimated $5.3 - 8 million investment over 13 years is required to eliminate dog rabies by 2030.
• Improved diagnostics and enhanced stakeholder collaboration provide a foundation for achieving zero dog-mediated human rabies deaths.