Management of rabies vaccine and risk assessment on illegal cross-border dog trading in Nakorn Phanom, Thailand, 2013

Abstract

The illegal cross-border dog trading was one major problem in Thailand and could induce a risk of rabies into rescue dogs at animal shelters and other movement areas. During 2011-2013, numerous arrested persons involved in the illegal dog trade were occurred in Nakorn Phanom. A descriptive study was conducted by reviewing arrest records of illegal dog trade from 2011 to January 2014, interviewing officers and relevant persons with quality assessment. The study was aimed to gain more knowledge on route of illegal dog trade traffic in Nakorn Phanom, on management of rabies vaccine and assess risk of rabies from illegal cross-border dog trading. Results were revealed that the dogs from illegal cross-border trading were from many areas in the different provinces. A dog smuggling truck were transported at the Mekong River shore, where was the nearest Vietnam. The route of illegal dog transportation was covered 17 sub districts in 6 districts. The destination of transportation was located at the shore in Ban Pang sub district, Ban Pang district. The dogs were transferred to Laos and took ahead to Cau Treo, Hating in Vietnam. Most of dogs were unknown status of vaccination and did not check up with veterinary. Management of rabies vaccination was integrated coordination of Department of Livestock Development and local municipal authorities by supporting supplies of rabies vaccine. The coverage of rabies vaccine in the province was 86.3%. Training programs of rabies immunization delivery for livestock health volunteers was covered at 85.6%. For management of rabies vaccine in human, it was allocated by a system of National Health Security Office that was disbursed via VMI system of Government Pharmaceutical Organization. An incidence of exposure to rabies among human populations was 9.5 per 1,000 populations. Postexposure vaccination was delivered at 100% of person exposure to rabies. Risk assessment of the incidence of rabies in the traffic of illegal cross-border dog trading was medium level. Some districts had low rabies vaccine coverage and poor management at the dog shelters. The risk of human rabies case was low level because of adequate supplies of human rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin in the area.