Questions related to rabies vaccines and tests

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

 

Here in Nepal rabies continues to be a serious health risk - over 100

people die each year due to rabies. Even when dogs have been vaccinated,

due to regular loadshedding (8 hours per day) one can never be sure if the

vaccine can be trusted. Same with vaccines for humans.

 

When a dog is suspected to have died of rabies the body is taken to the

National Veterinary Hospital where a saliva test is conducted. After that

brain fat is injected in ten mice who are observed over a period of 14

days. If they die of rabies, the disease is confirmed. This creates a real

dilemma for animal lovers whose dog has shown rabies symptoms and want to

support the national rabies detection system but do not want to inflict

suffering on other animals.

 

There is no test for humans available in Nepal as far as I know.

 

I have 2 questions:

 

- Is any cruelty to animals inflicted during the production of rabies

vaccines (both for humans and animals)?

- Are rabies tests available that do not include animal cruelty?

 

Thanks,

 

Lucia de Vries

www.animalnepal.org

[Guest guest]

 

 

TAM GARLAND

ProMED-mail Animal Disease and Zoonoses Moderator

Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A & M University,

College Station, TX, USA

 

 

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:06:59 -0700 (PDT)

Dawn Looken <vetmod

Re: Fwd: Questions related to rabies vaccines and tests

Merritt Clifton <anmlpepl

 

Merritt,

This is a REALLY OLD procedure and I would question the validity of

it. It is really slow too.

It is the neurological tissue that has the virus, not any adipose tissue.

Please feel free to advice them that it is an old, and inadequate

test, and that vaccines are made without harm to animals and the only

definitive test is one after the animal is deceased.

Cheers,

TAM

 

Merritt Clifton <anmlpepl wrote:

 

Am I correct in believing that the Nepalese procedure for

rabies detection, described below, is slow and obsolete?

 

My understanding is that these days & for quite a long time

now the usual procedure is to examine microscopic slides of brain

tissue from the original suspect animal, seeking the presence of

negribodies. I can't recall encountering the Nepalese procedure

anywhere in decades.

 

--------

 

>Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:53:28 -0800

> Questions related to rabies vaccines and tests

>

>Dear friends,

>

>Here in Nepal rabies continues to be a serious health risk - over 100

>people die each year due to rabies. Even when dogs have been vaccinated,

>due to regular loadshedding (8 hours per day) one can never be sure if the

>vaccine can be trusted. Same with vaccines for humans.

>

>When a dog is suspected to have died of rabies the body is taken to the

>National Veterinary Hospital where a saliva test is conducted. After that

>brain fat is injected in ten mice who are observed over a period of 14

>days. If they die of rabies, the disease is confirmed. This creates a real

>dilemma for animal lovers whose dog has shown rabies symptoms and want to

>support the national rabies detection system but do not want to inflict

>suffering on other animals.

>

>There is no test for humans available in Nepal as far as I know.

>

>I have 2 questions:

>

>- Is any cruelty to animals inflicted during the production of rabies

>vaccines (both for humans and animals)?

>- Are rabies tests available that do not include animal cruelty?

>

>Thanks,

>

>Lucia de Vries

>www.animalnepal.org

 

 

 

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

Telephone: 360-579-2505

Fax: 360-579-2575

E-mail: anmlpepl

Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

 

[ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing

original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide,

founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the

decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations.

We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

for free sample, send address.]