A Review on Human Deaths Associated with Rabies in Nigeria

Abstract

Rabies is a viral zoonotic disease that affects all warm blooded mammals, transmitted primarily by bites from rabid dogs. Rabies has the highest case fatality rate of most infectious disease in humans. This research takes a look at a review of human deaths due to rabies across various health care institutions in Nigeria and the situation of rabies in Nigeria. The detection of rabies antigen in the brain tissue of apparently healthy dogs slaughtered for human consumption in some states in Nigeria has given an indication of the endemicity of the disease and the public health risk it poses. Result of human deaths due to rabies obtained from 10 States in Nigeria, gave a total of 78 deaths due to rabies. All of which were not confirmed by laboratory techniques only by clinical presentation. Reported cases of rabies in humans in Nigeria are low; this could be attributed to poor reporting of cases, cultural beliefs, mis-diagnosis of the disease and poor knowledge on the mode of transmission and prevention of the disease. There are increasing numbers of reported cases of dog bites in humans in both rural and urban areas in Nigeria. Published researches in Nigeria have reported deaths in humans due to rabies infection. It is important that the Nigerian government consider rabies control as high priority and hence, a collaborative effort between Veterinarians and human health care professionals on national rabies control program will help in the control of rabies.