Prevalence and risk factors of rabies in Côte d'Ivoire from 2020 to 2023

Zoonotic diseases remain a major public health problem. In Côte d'Ivoire, rabies causes significant economic losses in human and animal populations.

To determine the prevalence and risk factors of animal rabies in Côte d'Ivoire.

A retro-prospective study was conducted in which surveillance registers of the Directorate of Veterinary Services were consulted and information from 2020 to 2023 on rabies in different animal species was recorded and analyzed.

A total of 152 people were exposed to animal rabies. Of the 147 brain tissue samples obtained from various animal species suspected of rabies and sent to the Central Veterinary Laboratory of Bingerville (LANADA), viral examination of these samples using the direct immunofluorescence technique method showed that 111 samples were positive for rabies, representing an overall prevalence of 75.51% (95% CI: 67.74%-82.22%). The most affected animal species were dogs, with a prevalence of 74.83% (110/147) and a very low prevalence in cats [0.68% (1/147)]. The association between cases of rabies and risk factors showed that males [79.81% (83/104)] were more exposed to rabies than females [65.12% (28/43)]. Animals aged ≥ 36 months [79.75% (63/79)] had a higher risk of infection than their younger counterparts [70.59% (48/69)]. However, vaccinated animals had a lower risk of contracting rabies. Stray animals that had been in contact with rabies-infected counterparts had a higher risk of infection [˃90% (81/89)].

It is clear that this zoonosis remains a permanent public health threat to the population of Côte d'Ivoire, and it is important to implement a national epidemiological surveillance network to better manage this disease.