A Deadly Zoonotic Disease

JUN-JUN C. PABILIN, DVM, MSc

Department of Paraclinical Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine
Nueva Vizcaya State University
Definition of Rabies

• Viral disease that causes acute

encephalitis (inflammation of the
brain) in warm-blooded animals.
• Rabies is a zoonotic disease (a
disease that is transmitted to
humans from animals) that is
caused by a virus
• It is considered to be a neglected
disease, which is 100% fatal,
though 100% preventable
History

• The first written record of rabies

causing death in dogs and humans is
found in the Mosaic Esmuna Code of
Babylon in 2300 B.C.
• The word ‘Rabies’ originated from
“rabhas”, meaning “to do violence”
• It comes from ancient Indian Sanskrit
dating 3000 B.C.
• LOUIS PASTEUR was the first person to
diagnose that rabies targets the
Central Nervous System (CNS)
History

• In 1890 Pasteur
created the rabies
vaccine and saved
9 year old Joseph
Meister after he
had been bit by a
rabid dog
Introduction

• Infects domestic and wild animals, and is spread

to people through close contact with infected
saliva via bites or scratches.
• Dogs are the source of 99% of human rabies
deaths.
• Once symptoms of the disease develop, rabies is
nearly always fatal.
Impact of Rabies

• Rabies is estimated to cause

59,000 human deaths
annually in over 150
countries
• 95% of cases occurring in
Africa and Asia.
• Half of cases are attributable
to children under 15 years of
age.
Rabies in the Philippines

• The Philippines reports 200—300

deaths from rabies annually.
• Ranks fourth worldwide in
incidence of the disease
• The government promised to rid
the country of the problem last
2020
• About 10000 dogs are believed to
be infected with the disease each
year.
Rabies in the Philippines

• January – April 2023 - 55 reported cases

of human rabies.
• An increase of 8% compared to 2022.
• Rabies cases reported were incidents
involving dogs with 93% from 2008 to
2023.
• Rabies-free provinces - Siquijor,
Batanes, Biliran, Camiguin, Marinduque,
Dinagat Islands, Catanduanes, and
Romblon.
Nueva Vizcaya (Bites and Rabies cases)

• 8,578 cases of animal bites - 2021

• 1 death –from Villaverde – “suma or tandok”
• Dogs - 6,447 cases (or 75.16%)
• Cats with 2,104 (or 24.53%)
• 27 (or 0.31%) are associated with other animals, such as
pigs, cows, horses, rabbits, and monkeys.
• 3,523 cases – 2022 (four months)
Nueva Vizcaya (Animal Bites Cases)

• Bayombong (2,429) • Kasibu (342)

• Bambang (1,323) • Dupax del Sur (294)
• Bagabag (905) • Diadi (246)
• Aritao (852) • Santa Fe (171)
• Quezon (617)
• Ambaguio (55)
• Villaverde (460)
• Kayapa (84)
• Solano (424)
• Dupax del Norte (374) • Alfonso Castañeda (2)
The Etiology

• The rabies virus belongs to the family

Rhabdoviridae, genus Lyssavirus.
• Rhabdo comes from the Greek word
that identifies characteristic bullet or
rod-shape.
• There are several strains of the
classic rabies virus.
• Disinfectants can kill the rabies virus.
Source of Infection

• World Health Organization (WHO) estimates there

are nearly 200 million stray dogs worldwide
• 13 million stray dogs in the Philippines
• The source of infection to man is the saliva of
rabid animals.
• In dogs and cats, the virus may be present in the
saliva for 3-7 days before the clinical onset and
during the course of illness till death.
Transmission

The two categories of exposure are:

• Bite - Any penetration of the skin by an animal’s
teeth.
• Non-Bite exposure - Scratches received from an
animal, or scratches, abrasions, open wounds or
mucous membranes contaminated with an
animal’s saliva or neural tissue.
• The virus is not infectious when it is dry.
Transmission

RABIES IN HUMANS
• Victims of dog bites are children under the age of
15
• It is transmitted to other animals and humans
through close contact with saliva from infected
animals
• Tissues from individuals with rabies must not be
used in transplant procedures
Incubation Period

• Highly variable in men, commonly 3-8 weeks

following exposure
• The duration of the incubation period depends on
certain factors:
• The amount of the virus inoculated into the
wound or mucosa.
• Severity of exposure
• Location of exposure
Incubation Period

SPECIES INCUBATION PERIOD

Average 3-16 weeks,
Humans range from weeks to 6
years
3–12 weeks after
Dogs
exposure
Incubation Period

NOTE
• The closer the bite
to the brain, the
shorter the
incubation.
• Rabies virus travels
1-1.2 cm per day
Pathogenesis

• After inoculation, the rabies virus progresses from

the subcutaneous tissue or muscle into peripheral
nerves.
• The virus then penetrates the peripheral nerve
cells via viral uptake at neuronal endings.
• The virus is transported through both the sensory
and motor nerve fibers to the central nervous
system (CNS).
Pathogenesis

• The spread of the rabies virus in the coulometer

and optic nerves could be as fast as 12 mm/day.
• Once the virus reaches the CNS, rabies replication
occurs primarily in the neurons or brain cells
through viral budding and the virus spreads and
infects the nearby brain cells.
• The victim exhibits behavioral changes and
clinical signs.
Pathogenesis

• The rabies virus spreads into the peripheral tissues

such as muscle fibers, salivary glands, corneas,
adrenal medullae, lacrimal glands, myocardium,
kidneys, lungs, pancreas, and epidermis.
• Infection of salivary glands allows further transmission
of the disease to other mammals.
• The infected animal usually dies within a few days
after onset of clinical signs.
Signs and Symptoms

• Bizarre behavior
• Agitation
• Seizures
• Difficulty in drinking
• Patients will be able to eat
solids
• Afraid of water -
Hydrophobia.
Signs and Symptoms

• Even sight or sound of water

disturbs the patient.
• But suffer with intense
thirst.
• Spasms of the Pharynx
produces choking
• Death in 1 -6 days.
• Respiratory arrest / Death /
Some may survive.
How to avoid being bitten?
Animal Bite Prevention
Animal Bite Prevention
Animal Bite Prevention
Animal Bite Prevention
Animal Bite First Aid
Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)

• Provided to subjects after rabies exposure.

• Consists of wound care, rabies immune globulin, and
vaccine.
• Cleansing
• Chemical Treatment
• Suturing
• Anti-Rabies Serum
• Antibiotics & anti-tetanus measure
• Observe the animal for 10 days.
Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)
Myths and Facts (FAO, UN)

Myth
• Responsible dog ownership means you feed your dog well.
Fact
• Responsible dog ownership means that you register your dog
with the local authorities, you annually vaccinate your dog
for rabies, you keep your dogs from roaming the streets,
and you feed and care for your dog in an ethically
responsible manner.
Myths and Facts (FAO, UN)

Myth
• Rabies virus can be detected and treated by traditional
medicine when traditional healers treat bite wounds.
Fact
• To date, there is no traditional medicine that is proven effective
against the rabies virus. Therefore, even if a traditional healer
treats your bite wound, you should still proceed to a medical
center or hospital so the wound can be properly cleaned and
disinfected, and so you can get a post-exposure rabies vaccine.
Myths and Facts (FAO, UN)

Myth
• Rabies is transmitted only by the bite of an animal.
Fact
• Transmission by the bite of a rabid animal is the most common way.
• Rabies can also be transmitted through a scratch inflicted by a dog or
an animal if fresh saliva is on the nail that causes the scratch.
• Airborne transmission of rabies may also occur when handling bat
guano or in bat caves. Aerosol transmission has been implied in four
reports of human rabies cases and documented in experimental work
with animals.
Myths and Facts (FAO, UN)

Myth
• Dog vaccines prevent your dog from getting rabies for
only a few months.
Fact
• If your dogs are vaccinated against rabies, they are
protected for at least one year with each vaccine.
Myths and Facts (FAO, UN)

Myth
• If a traditional healer treats a bite wound, there is no
need to see a doctor or go to a medical centre or
hospital.
Fact
• People with bite wounds that are only treated with
traditional medicine are at greater risk of death from
rabies, once a person shows clinical symptoms, death is
unpreventable.
Myths and Facts (FAO, UN)

Myth
• Dog owners can choose whether or not to vaccinate
their dogs against rabies.
Fact
• As a dog owner, you are required to vaccinate your dogs
against rabies every year. This protects you, your family
and friends, your community, and your dogs.
Myths and Facts

MYTH
• “Bawang and Tandok” can treat and cure rabies
Fact
• Only anti-rabies vaccines can effectively cure
rabies
 “The control and elimination of rabies in dogs
through vaccination remain the only cost-
effective way to sustainably protect humans from
contracting the disease.”
World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)
Animal Welfare
Animal Welfare

• Used to refer to a concept

• Serves as a cornerstone, or foundation, for
laboratory animal medicine and the use of animals in
research.
• Measurable state in an animal which may be related
to the adequacy of an animal’s ability to cope with
its environment.
• Branch of science which looks at measurable states
in almost all areas of our interaction with animals –
agriculture, entertainment, companionship,
research, and others
Elements of Animal Welfare

• It is important to recognize that the welfare debate inevitably

includes all three elements:
• Science
• Ethics
• Legislation
• Science attempts to quantify the effect on the animal in terms of
physiological, behavioral, and health measures, etc.
• Ethics concerns human actions as it considers the morals of human
behavior. It covers how we currently treat animals, and how we ought
to treat animals.
• Legislation is a result of science and ethics, as it reflects society’s
rules governing the use and treatment of animals.
Three Animal Welfare Concepts

Example of issues affecting physical /

mental welfare and naturalness:
Restricting sows to stalls
• Naturalness:
• Restriction of oral and social behavior
• Physical:
• Mouth injuries from bar biting
• Mental:
• Frustration
• Pain from mouth injuries
Mouth Injury Frustration/
Pain

Sows in
stalls

Naturalness

Restriction of oral
and social behavior
So what is “WELFARE”?

• RA 10631 - animal welfare pertains to the physical and

psychological well-being of animals.
• Link between all three concepts (naturalness, physical
and mental). Any significant compromise in one aspect
tends to affect the other two.
• Animal welfare means how an animal is coping with the
conditions in which it lives.
• Healthy, comfortable, well nourished, safe, able to express
innate behavior
Human Attributes to Animals?

• Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human

characteristics or behavior to an animal.
• Different types of animals have different behavioral
needs and need to be treated accordingly.
• Assessment of animal welfare, is often a useful starting
point to think about the animal’s needs in terms of our
own needs.
Welfare Assessment and the Five Freedoms

• The five freedoms give an initial indication of what should

be assessed and what should be provided to animals
• It does not define the minimum standards as it is extremely
difficult to always provide all the Freedoms.
• Five Freedoms
• Freedom from hunger and thirst
• Freedom from discomfort
• Freedom from pain, injury and disease
• Freedom to express normal behavior
• Freedom from fear and distress
Farm Animal Welfare Council UK, 1993
Five Freedoms

• Freedom from hunger & thirst

• Ready access to fresh water and a diet to
maintain full health and vigor
• Freedom from discomfort
• Provide an appropriate environment including
shelter and a comfortable resting area
Five Freedoms

• Freedom from pain, injury and disease

• Prevention of disease or rapid diagnosis and treatment
• Freedom to express normal behavior
• Providing sufficient space, proper facilities, and company
of the animal’s own kind
• Freedom from fear and distress
• Ensuring conditions and treatment that avoid mental
suffering
 Republic Act No. 8485
An act to promote animal welfare in the
Philippines otherwise known as "THE ANIMAL
WELFARE ACT OF 1998“
Animal Welfare Act

Title - Republic Act No. 8485 is known as the "Animal Welfare

Act of 1998."
Section 1: (Paraphrase and summarized version)
• The purpose of this Act is to safeguard and enhance the
well-being of all animals in the Philippines. It aims to
oversee and control facilities involved in breeding,
maintaining, keeping, treating, or training animals, whether
for trade or as household pets.
• The definition of pet animals, as per this Act, includes birds.
Animal Welfare Act

Section 2: (Paraphrase and summarized version)

• This section states that individuals or entities, including
government agencies and slaughterhouses, are prohibited
from establishing and operating various animal-related
facilities such as pet shops, kennels, veterinary clinics,
hospitals, stockyards, corrals, stud farms, or zoos without
obtaining a certificate of registration from the Bureau of
Animal Industry.
Animal Welfare Act

Section 3: (Paraphrase and summarized version)

• Empower the Director of the Bureau of Animal Industry to
oversee and regulate the establishment and operation of
various animal-related facilities, including pet shops, kennels,
veterinary clinics, hospitals, stockyards, corrals, stud farms,
and zoos.
• The director is also responsible for supervising the transport of
animals in any public or private transportation facility to
ensure their maximum comfort, minimize the risk of sickness or
death, and prevent cruelty to animals during transit.
Animal Welfare Act

Section 4: (Paraphrase and summarized version)

• Mandates that owners or operators of public utilities (land, air, or
water transport) carrying pets, wildlife, or other animals must
ensure the provision of adequate, clean, and sanitary facilities for
safe transportation. Additionally, they are obligated to supply
sufficient food and water for the animals during transit, especially if
the journey lasts for more than twelve (12) hours or whenever
deemed necessary.
• No public utility shall transport any such animal without a permit
• No cruel confinement or restraint during transport
• Any form of cruelty shall be penalized
Is this acceptable?
Animal Welfare Act

Section 5: (Paraphrase and summarized version)

• Establish a Committee on Animal Welfare under the
Department of Agriculture. This committee is authorized, with
the approval of the Agriculture Secretary, to formulate rules
and regulations for the thorough enforcement of the Act.
These regulations, which include safety and sanitary
standards, must be issued within thirty (30) days of the Act's
approval. The Committee is also mandated to review these
guidelines every three (3) years from their implementation or
as needed.
Animal Welfare Act

Section 6: (Paraphrase and summarized version)

• It shall be unlawful for any person to torture any animal, to
neglect to provide adequate care, sustenance, or shelter, or
maltreat any animal or to subject any dog or horse to dogfights
or horse fights, kill or cause or procure to be tortured or
deprived of adequate care, sustenance or shelter, or maltreat
or use the same in research or experiments not expressly
authorized by the Committee on Animal Welfare.
Animal Welfare Act

Section 7: (Paraphrase and summarized version)

• It is mandated that individuals have a responsibility to
safeguard the natural habitat of wildlife. The act of
destroying this habitat is deemed a type of cruelty to
animals, emphasizing the importance of preserving it as
a means of protecting the animals themselves.
Animal Welfare Act

Section 8: (Paraphrase and summarized version)

• The Act outlines penalties for violating its provisions.
Individuals convicted of such violations may face
imprisonment ranging from six months to two years, a fine
between One thousand pesos (P1,000) and Five thousand
pesos (P5,000), or a combination of both, as determined by
the court.
• If the violator is a juridical person (a legal entity), the
responsible officer will serve the imprisonment. In the case
of violations by aliens, immediate deportation follows the
completion of the sentence without further proceedings.
Animal Welfare Act

Section 9:
• All laws, acts, decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act
are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 10:
• This Act shall be take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general
circulation.
Reflection

“We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment

of animals.”
Immanuel Kant

“A righteous man regards the life of his animal, But

the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.”
Proverbs 12:10