Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (Mar 2004)

Canine rabies epidemiology in Araçatuba and neighborhood, Northwestern São Paulo State - Brazil

  • Luzia Helena Queiroz da Silva,
  • César Eduardo Bissoto,
  • Ádna Cleia B. Delbem,
  • Clara Isabel de Lucca Ferrari,
  • Sílvia Helena Venturoli Perri,
  • Cáris Maroni Nunes

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 37, no. 2
pp. 139 – 142

Abstract

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Epidemiological characteristics of canine rabies in the northwest region of São Paulo State (Araçatuba region), Brazil, from 1993 to 1997 are presented. Out of 1,984 dogs, a total of 351 (17.7%) were positive for rabies diagnosis; 89% (312/351) of these occurred in urban areas and 85% (266/312) of the urban positive cases were among owned dogs. The mean age of the rabid dogs was 34 months and 61% were male. Aggressive behavior was observed in 77% of rabid dogs, followed by lack of coordination and paralysis (42%) and 48% of these dogs were responsible biting people or other animals. Information about vaccination status was obtained from 182 records and 51% of rabid dogs were non-vaccinated. The number of unvaccinated rabid dogs indicates a low vaccination index and this factor added to the high dog/man ratio must have contributed to the canine rabies epizootic observed in the studied area.

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