Protection of mice from rabies by intranasal immunization with inactivated rabies virus.

The mucosal immunization method is a needle-free alternative way of vaccination. This study evaluated the efficacy of mucosal immunization for rabies. Mice were intranasally administered five times with inactivated and concentrated rabies virus antigen (CRV) supplemented with or without cholera toxin (CT). The anti-rabies virus antibody titer of mice intranasally immunized with CRV plus CT (CRV/CT) was comparable to that of mice intraperitoneally immunized twice with the same amount of CRV. Virus neutralizing (VNA) titers of mice immunized intranasally with CRV/CT were slightly lower than those of intraperitoneally immunized mice. Both anti-rabies virus ELISA antibody and VNA titers of mice immunized with CRV without CT were significantly lower than those of mice immunized with CRV/CT. In mice intranasally immunized with CRV/CT, and intraperitoneally immunized mice, high levels of IgG(2a) antibody were detected, suggesting the activation of Th1-driven cellular immunity by the two ways of immunization. All immunized mice were challenged intracerebrally with a lethal dose of virulent rabies virus CVS strain. The survival rates of mice immunized with CRV/CT and CRV without CT were 67% and 17%, respectively, while the rate of intraperitoneally immunized mice was 100%. Antigen-specific whole IgG and IgG(2a), and VNA titers of survived mice were significantly higher than those of dead mice at the challenge day. These data suggest the possibility of intranasal immunization with inactivated antigen as a rabies vaccination strategy and the importance of a mucosal adjuvant such as CT.     

我国狂犬病流行现状及检测预防

狂犬病是动物源性传染病,可引起人类感染。一旦发病,死亡率近乎100%,目前尚无有效治疗方法。介绍了狂犬病病毒的生物学性状,阐述了狂犬病在我国的流行现状及新近发展的诊断技术及预防措施,有利于狂犬病在中国的控制和消除。     

The influence of homologous vs. heterologous challenge virus strains on the serological test results of rabies virus neutralizing assays

The effect that the relatedness of the viral seed strain used to produce rabies vaccines has to the strain of challenge virus used to measure rabies virus neutralizing antibodies after vaccination was evaluated. Serum samples from 173 subjects vaccinated with either purified Vero cell rabies vaccine (PVRV), produced from the Pittman Moore (PM) seed strain of rabies virus, or purified chick embryo cell rabies vaccine (PCECV), produced from the Flury low egg passage (Flury-LEP) seed strain of rabies virus, were tested in parallel assays by RFFIT using a homologous and a heterologous testing system. In the homologous system, CVS-11 was used as the challenge virus in the assay to evaluate the humoral immune response in subjects vaccinated with PVRV and Flury-LEP was used for subjects vaccinated with PCECV. In the heterologous system, CVS-11 was used as the challenge virus in the assay to evaluate subjects vaccinated with PCECV and Flury-LEP was used for subjects vaccinated with PVRV. Although the difference in G protein homology between the CVS-11 and Flury-LEP rabies virus strains has been reported to be only 5.8%, the use of a homologous testing system resulted in approximately 30% higher titers for nearly two-thirds of the samples from both vaccine groups compared to a heterologous testing system. The evaluation of equivalence of the immune response after vaccination with the two different vaccines was dependent upon the type of testing system, homologous or heterologous, used to evaluate the level of rabies virus neutralizing antibodies. Equivalence between the vaccines was achieved when a homologous testing system was used but not when a heterologous testing system was used. The results of this study indicate that the strain of virus used in the biological assays to measure the level of rabies virus neutralizing antibodies after vaccination could profoundly influence the evaluation of rabies vaccines.     

Establishment of a Canine Rabies Burden in Haiti through the Implementation of a Novel Surveillance Program

The Republic of Haiti is one of only several countries in the Western Hemisphere in which canine rabies is still endemic. Estimation methods have predicted that 130 human deaths occur per year, yet existing surveillance mechanisms have detected few of these rabies cases. Likewise, canine rabies surveillance capacity has had only limited capacity, detecting only two rabid dogs per year, on average. In 2013, Haiti initiated a community-based animal rabies surveillance program comprised of two components: active community bite investigation and passive animal rabies investigation. From January 2013 –December 2014, 778 rabies suspect animals were reported for investigation. Rabies was laboratory-confirmed in 70 animals (9%) and an additional 36 cases were identified based on clinical diagnosis (5%), representing an 18-fold increase in reporting of rabid animals compared to the three years before the program was implemented. Dogs were the most frequent rabid animal (90%). Testing and observation ruled out rabies in 61% of animals investigated. A total of 639 bite victims were reported to the program and an additional 364 bite victims who had not sought medical care were identified during the course of investigations. Only 31% of people with likely rabies exposures had initiated rabies post-exposure prophylaxis prior to the investigation. Rabies is a neglected disease in-part due to a lack of surveillance and understanding about the burden. The surveillance methods employed by this program established a much higher burden of canine rabies in Haiti than previously recognized. The active, community-based bite investigations identified numerous additional rabies exposures and bite victims were referred for appropriate medical care, averting potential human rabies deaths. The use of community-based rabies surveillance programs such as HARSP should be considered in canine rabies endemic countries.     

Domestic microwave processing for rapid immunohistochemical diagnosis of bovine rabies

The present study describes the use of a microwave processing protocol for the rapid histopathological and immunohistochemical diagnosis of bovine rabies. Immunohistochemistry has been used for rabies diagnosis in formalin-fixed tissue with satisfactory results, although the time to diagnosis is considerably longer than that with direct immunofluorescence. The protocol provided a provisory histopathological rabies diagnosis in approximately three and half hours and the immunohistochemical diagnosis was available after six hours. The protocol achieved 100% correlation with direct immunofluorescence and is a promising method, particularly in situations in which only material in formalin is available for diagnosis or when the refrigeration or transportation of biological material is difficult.     

Cross-protection of mice against a global spectrum of rabies virus variants.

Rabies, a continuing worldwide problem, kills tens of thousands of people and millions of animals each year. The problem is most severe in developing countries, where cell culture-derived vaccines are unaffordable and the available nervous tissue-derived vaccines are often of questionable immunogenicity and may produce neurological complications. To determine the feasibility of developing a vaccine with worldwide applicability, we investigated whether recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing either the glycoprotein (G), the nucleoprotein (N), or both the G and N (GN) of the challenge virus strain (CVS) of rabies virus would cross-protect mice against 17 rabies virus isolates representing the spectrum of rabies virus variants found worldwide. The results were compared with the commercially available human diploid cell vaccine (HDCV). Among mice injected with any of the 17 viruses, > or = 95% were protected by vaccination with recombinant viruses expressing G or GN, and > or = 85% of the mice were protected by the HDCV. The recombinant virus expressing N was less protective, protecting against only 11 of the 17 viruses. Antibody prepared against the G of the strains used in the vaccines neutralized all 17 viruses, and sera from mice infected with any one virus variant cross-neutralized all of the other viruses. Thus, no antigenic differences that would potentiate vaccine failures were identified. These studies suggest that a single rabies virus strain or its G would protect globally against wild-type rabies viruses.     

A simple and rapid immunochromatographic test kit for rabies diagnosis

In rabies endemic countries, funds and infrastructure are often insufficient to employ the approved gold standard for the definitive diagnosis of rabies: the direct fluorescent test. In the present study, two types (type 1 and 2) of an ICT kit were evaluated for detection of rabies. These were developed using monoclonal antibodies which recognize epitope II and III of the nucleoprotein of rabies virus. Both kits specifically detected all rabies virus strains and there was no cross reactivity with Lyssaviruses (Lagos, Mokola and Duvenhage), Rhabdovirus (VSV and Oita 296/1972) and other common canine-pathogenic viruses. In type 1, a single type of monoclonal antibody was used. It was capable of detecting recombinant nucleoprotein and showed sensitivity of 95.5% (42/44) and specificity of 88.9% (32/36) using brain samples from rabid dogs. In contrast, type 2 which was made of two different monoclonal antibodies had a lower sensitivity of 93.2% (41/44) and higher specificity of 100% (36/36). These ICT kits provide a simple and rapid method for rabies detection. They need neither cold chain for transportation nor complicated training for personnel. This diagnostic test is suitable for rabies screening, particularly in areas with a high prevalence of rabies and where the fluorescent antibody test is not available.     

Immunogenicity and Safety in Adults of a New Chromatographically Purified Vero-cell Rabies Vaccine (CPRV): a Randomized, Double-blind Trial with Purified Vero-cell Rabies Vaccine (PVRV)

Recent improvements in chromatographic purification procedures have made it possible to develop a new chromatographically purified rabies vaccine (CPRV) by further purifying the current rabies vaccine prepared from Vero-cell culture (Verorab; Pasteur Mérieux Connaught). The immunogenicity and safety of primary immunization, followed by a booster at one year, with CPRV was compared to that of the purified Vero cell vaccine (PVRV) in a randomized, double-blind study carried out at four veterinary schools in France. A total of 330 healthy, male and female, first-year veterinary students, aged at least 18 years and who required pre-exposure rabies prophylaxis, were enrolled in this study. Included subjects were randomly assigned either CPRV (n = 163) or PVRV (n = 167) to be given as a primary immunization series of three intramuscular injections (D0, D7, D28), followed by a booster after 1 year (D365). Blood samples for serological analysis were taken at D0 (before first injection), D28, D42, D180, D365 (before booster) and D379. All subjects developed a strong immune response to the primary series, and at D42, all subjects had seroconverted for rabies neutralizing antibody (serum titre > or = 0.5 IU/ml). The rabies virus-neutralizing antibody GMT value at D42 in the CPRV group (23.0 IU/ml) was non-inferior to that in the PVRV group (29.6 IU/ml), according to a one-sided non-inferiority test. While antibody titres tended to decrease over the period of follow-up, at D365 (before booster), 97.5% subjects in the CPRV group and 98.8% of subjects in the PVRV group remained seroconverted. After booster, although the rabies antibody GMT value in the CPRV group was lower than that in the PVRV group, all subjects in both groups were seroconverted, and the difference is probably not clinically important. The incidence of local and systemic reactions tended to decrease with each dose during the primary immunization series, followed by a slight increase after booster (significant time-effect in an exploratory logistic regression analysis). Although mild or moderate local reactions tended to be more frequent after injection with CPRV compared to PVRV, systemic reactions were reported less often (significant group-effects in exploratory logistic regression analyses). One serious adverse event possibly related to vaccine occurred during this study (severe asthenia after the third dose of PVRV). This comparative study in healthy young adults demonstrates that the new chromatographically purified rabies vaccine is as immunogenic as PVRV, and seems to be associated with fewer systemic reactions.     

Overview of Animal Rabies in Kinshasa Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo

IntroductionRabies is one of the major public health problems mostly affecting developing countries in Africa and Asia where 99.9% of all rabies related human deaths are recorded each year. In Democratic Republic of Congo, repeated outbreaks have been reported. Despite this, there is little reliable epidemiological data about rabies in the country for the development of effective control strategies.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective study was carried out in Kinshasa Province during a period of five years (2009–2013) to describe the proportion of rabid animals and the species involved in rabies transmission and maintenance. The survey also aimed at describing the spatial-temporal distribution of rabies. To gather information, the daily registers of institutions involved in rabies diagnosis were reviewed and each rabies case was traced back to area of occurrence for collection of geographic coordinates.

Results and Discussion

A total of 5,053 attacks were registered involving six animal species including dog, cat, monkey, rabbit, rat, and pig. Based on clinical observations, rabies was reported in dogs and cats while data obtained from the laboratory confirmed rabies cases included dogs, cats and a goat. The annual distribution showed a significant decrease of rabies cases from 2009 up to 2011 and a later increase up to 2013. There was no difference in rabies occurrence between seasons (p = 0.721). Rabies cases were three times higher in peri-urban zone than in urban zone OR = 3.4 (95% CI: 2.3–5.1). The positive proportion of rabies was 2.6% (95% CI: 2.1–3) based on clinical evidence and 65.9% (95% CI: 50–79.5) for laboratory confirmed cases.

Conclusion and Suggestion

This study confirms the endemicity of rabies in Kinshasa where occurrence of rabies cases was related to human population density and lifestyle. In order to control rabies, there is need to set up a surveillance program and implement efficient mass vaccination campaigns of susceptible animals.     

Application of tomographic methods in the diagnosis of pathological changes of the jaw

The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of specific diagnostic methods used for diagnosis of oral pathologies. The sample consisted of 198 patients (98 man and 100 women) with formulated diagnosis, confirmed postoperatively by histopathological verification. In 74.7% of subjects only X-ray diagnostic examination was used. Both X-ray and computed tomography (CT) examinations were used in 18.7% of subjects. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) wasn't performed in any subject. In 6.6% of subjects neither X-ray nor CT was performed. The study reported on statistically significant differences in the distribution of specific diagnostic methods according to age groups (p = 0.026). Also, there was statistically significant differences in the distribution of diagnostic methods according to diagnostic groups (p = 0.053). In the group of 37 subjects, in whom both X-ray and computed tomography were used, the majority had carcinomas, followed by fractures and inflammatory cysts.     

Emergency rabies control in a community of two high-density hosts

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Rabies is a fatal viral disease that potentially can affect all mammals. Terrestrial rabies is not present in the United Kingdom and has been eliminated from Western Europe. Nevertheless the possibility remains that rabies could be introduced to England, where it would find two potentially suitable hosts, red foxes and badgers. With the aim to analyse the spread and emergency control of rabies in this two species host community, a simulation model was constructed. Different control strategies involving anti-rabies vaccination and population culling were developed, considering control application rates, spatial extent and timing. These strategies were evaluated for efficacy and feasibility to control rabies in hypothetical rural areas in the South of England immediately after a disease outbreak. RESULTS: The model confirmed that both fox and badger populations, separately, were competent hosts for the spread of rabies. Realistic vaccination levels were not sufficient to control rabies in high-density badger populations. The combined species community was a very strong rabies host. However, disease spread within species appeared to be more important than cross-species infection. Thus, the drivers of epidemiology depend on the potential of separate host species to sustain the disease. To control a rabies outbreak in the two species, both species had to be targeted. Realistic and robust control strategies involved vaccination of foxes and badgers, but also required badger culling. Although fox and badger populations in the UK are exceptionally dense, an outbreak of rabies can be controlled with a higher than 90% chance, if control response is quick and follows a strict regime. This requires surveillance and forceful and repeated control campaigns. In contrast, an uncontrolled rabies outbreak in the South of England would quickly develop into a strong epizootic involving tens of thousands of rabid foxes and badgers. CONCLUSIONS: If populations of both host species are sufficiently large, epizootics are driven by within-species transmission, while cross-species-infection appears to be of minor importance. Thus, the disease control strategy has to target both host populations.     

Survey of bat populations from Mexico and Paraguay for rabies

A mammalian survey was conducted in Mexico (October 1994-January 1996) and in Paraguay (August 1996-March 1997); a complete specimen was collected for each bat in the survey, including primary voucher specimen, ectoparasites, karyotype, and various frozen tissues. The surveys combined provided 937 brain samples (65 bat species) for rabies diagnosis. One male Lasiurus ega, collected in Paraguay, tested positive for the rabies virus (overall prevalence rate of 0.1%). Nucleotide sequence from a 300 bp region of the rabies nucleoprotein gene was compared with sequence obtained from representative rabies virus samples in the repository at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta, Georgia, USA). Rabies virus extracted from the brain material of L. ega differed by only one nucleotide from a 300 bp consensus sequence (>99% homology) derived from samples for the variant of rabies virus transmitted by Lasiurus cinereus. Lasiurus ego differed by approximately 15% for the variant transmitted by Desmodus rotundus. Phylogenetic analysis found no evidence to suggest L. ego is a reservoir for rabies antigenic variant 6. The most likely explanation for rabies in L. ega was infection following contact with a rabid L. cinereus.     

Comparison of Biotinylated Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies in an Evaluation of a Direct Rapid Immunohistochemical Test for the Routine Diagnosis of Rabies in Southern Africa

The major etiological agent of rabies, rabies virus (RABV), accounts for tens of thousands of human deaths per annum. The majority of these deaths are associated with rabies cycles in dogs in resource-limited countries of Africa and Asia. Although routine rabies diagnosis plays an integral role in disease surveillance and management, the application of the currently recommended direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) test in countries on the African and Asian continents remains quite limited. A novel diagnostic assay, the direct rapid immunohistochemical test (dRIT), has been reported to have a diagnostic sensitivity and specificity equal to that of the DFA test while offering advantages in cost, time and interpretation. Prior studies used the dRIT utilized monoclonal antibody (MAb) cocktails. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that a biotinylated polyclonal antibody (PAb) preparation, applied in the dRIT protocol, would yield equal or improved results compared to the use of dRIT with MAbs. We also wanted to compare the PAb dRIT with the DFA test, utilizing the same PAb preparation with a fluorescent label. The PAb dRIT had a diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 100%, which was shown to be marginally higher than the diagnostic efficacy observed for the PAb DFA test. The classical dRIT, relying on two-biotinylated MAbs, was applied to the same panel of samples and a reduced diagnostic sensitivity (83.50% and 90.78% respectively) was observed. Antigenic typing of the false negative samples indicated all of these to be mongoose RABV variants. Our results provided evidence that a dRIT with alternative antibody preparations, conjugated to a biotin moiety, has a diagnostic efficacy equal to that of a DFA relying on the same antibody and that the antibody preparation should be optimized for virus variants specific to the geographical area of focus.     

定量检测猕猴血清中重组人源化抗狂犬病毒单克隆抗体间接ELISA法的建立

目的：建立定量检测血清中重组人源化抗狂犬病毒单克隆抗体（HuMabs）NM57的间接ELISA法,为药代动力学研究提供一种简单快速的方法。方法：采用狂犬病毒糖蛋白包被酶标板、HRP标记的IgG-Fc段为标记抗体,建立定量检测HuMabsNM57的间接ELISA法,并对其特异性、灵敏度、精密度及准确度进行检测。结果：间接ELISA法检测HuMabsNM57的灵敏度为5ng／mL,组内及组间精密度分别为2．6％-6．0％、8．5％-11．3％。结论：建立了灵敏度高、特异性强的检测HuMabs NM57的间接ELISA法,精密度及准确度均符合药代动力学要求,可用于猕猴及人血清中HuMabsNM57的检测。     

隐匿性胫骨平台骨折MRI、CT检查的影像学表现及其诊断价值对比的回顾性研究

目的:研究对比隐匿性胫骨平台骨折(TPOF)磁共振成像(MRI)、电子计算机断层扫描(CT)检查的影像学表现及其诊断价值。方法:回顾性分析我院自2016年1月至2019年12月拟诊断为TPOF且X线检查表现为阴性的89例患者的临床资料,分别对所有受试者进行MRI、CT检查,且以手术检查为金标准,比较上述两种影像学检查手段诊断TPOF的效能。此外,比较MRI、CT检查诊断TPOF的表观扩散系数以及节段各向异性值以及对TPOF类型的检出率。结果:MRI检查诊断TPOF的灵敏度、特异度及准确度分别为98.61%、94.12%、97.75%,均高于CT检查的79.17%、64.71%、76.40%(均P<0.05)。MRI检查诊断TPOF的表观扩散系数高于CT检查,而节段各向异性值低于CT检查(均P<0.05)。MRI检查对骨皮质骨折的检出率低于CT检查,而对骨小梁骨折的检出率高于CT检查(均P<0.05)。结论:MRI检查诊断TPOF的价值高于CT检查,且在骨小梁骨折的检出率方面优于CT检查,但CT检查应用于骨皮质骨折的诊断价值更高。临床工作中可能通过联合MRI以及CT检查,继而达到提高TPOF检出率的目的。     

Oral vaccination of captive arctic foxes with lyophilized SAG2 rabies vaccine

Arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) were immunized with lyophilized SAG2 oral rabies vaccine. The effectiveness of this vaccine was determined by serologic response and survival to challenge by rabies virus isolated from a red fox from Alaska (USA). No vaccine virus was found in saliva 1-72 hr after ingestion. At 2 wk after vaccination, all foxes had seroconverted, with rabies virus neutralizing antibody levels of 0.2-3.1 IU ml(-1). All vaccinated foxes survived to week 17 after challenge, and hippocampus, pons, and cerebellum were free of rabies virus as determined by direct immunofluorescence testing after death. One of four nonvaccinated foxes survived challenge and was free of rabies virus in neural tissue, and no rabies virus neutralizing antibody was detected in blood. Our results suggest that the lyophilized SAG2 oral rabies vaccine could be effective in arctic and subarctic regions, where freezing air and ground temperatures probably would not reduce its immunogenicity.     

G蛋白β亚单位C825T基因多态性与原发性高血压的相关性研究

分析大规模日本人群的G蛋白β亚单位基因（GNB3,C825T-Gprotein β3 subunit C825T）多态性与原发性高血压病（essential hypertension,EH）的关系。采集日本同一个地区健康体检人群为研究对象,共4,830例,其中高血压组（HT：2,092例）,正常血压组（NT：2,738例）。对体检对象做：体重指数（BMI）、吸烟,饮酒等环境因素和血浆胆固醇、甘油三酯等血液生化指标的测量。并用Taqman—PCR化学分析方法对GNB3基因的C825T多态性进行分型检测。GNB3基因的C825T多态性符合Hardy—Weinberg平衡遗传规律。在HT与NT之间,CC、CT、TT遗传表型的频率为NT：24．8％,47．8％和27．4％;HT：22．9％,51．7％和25．4％。C等位基因频率分别为NT：48．72％及HT：48．78％;C825T基因型在HT及NT组之间有显著性差异,基因型频率CC／CT＋TT：P=0．027;OR：1．169;CI95％：1．019～1．341;等位基因频率在两组之间也有统计学差异。C,T：P=0．001;OR：1．154;CI95％：1．064—1．252。CT＋TT基因型携带者发生EH病的危险性为CC基因型携带者的1．169倍（OR）。GNB3基因的C825T的T等位基因EH发病危险是C的1．154倍。GNB3的C825T基因多态性可能是日本人群EH的一个候选基因。     

A rapid rabies enzyme immuno-diagnosis (RREID): a useful and simple technique for the routine diagnosis of rabies

A Rapid Rabies Enzyme Immuno-Diagnosis (RREID) technique has been developed. This technique for the diagnosis of rabies was performed in microplates which had been previously sensitized with IgG to purified antinucleocapsids. Suspensions of homogenized material were incubated in the plate and the specific binding of rabies antigen was revealed by the use of the same IgG conjugated with peroxidase. With the RREID technique it was possible to detect rabies antigens in brain specimens with the same specificity and sensitivity as that of the direct immunofluorescence test or the neuroblastoma cell inoculation technique regardless of the species of animal from which the specimen was derived. Moreover, RREID was performed with fox salivary gland specimens with the same results as were obtained with brain specimens. RREID does not require an UV light microscope and a photometer is not essential. It is a useful and simple technique for the routine laboratory diagnosis of rabies.     

Preparation and identification of anti-rabies virus monoclonal antibodies

To provide a foundation for the development of rapid and specific methods for the diagnosis of rabies virus infection,anti-rabies virus monoclonal antibodies were prepared and rabies virus nucleoprotei...     

Application of the GARC Data Logger—a custom-developed data collection device—to capture and monitor mass dog vaccination campaigns in Namibia

Domestic dogs are responsible for 99% of all cases of human rabies and thus, mass dog vaccination has been demonstrated to be the most effective approach towards the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies. Namibia demonstrated the feasibility of this approach by applying government-led strategic rabies vaccination campaigns to reduce both human and dog rabies incidences in the Northern Communal Areas of Namibia since 2016. The lessons learnt using paper-based form for data capturing and management of mass dog vaccination campaign during the pilot and roll out phase of the project (2016–2018) led to the implementation of a simple and accurate data collection tool in the second phase (2019–2022) of the rabies elimination program. In this paper, we describe the implementation of such custom-developed vaccination tracking device, i.e. the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) Data Logger (GDL), and the integration of the collected data into a website-based rabies surveillance system (Rabies Epidemiological Bulletin—REB) during 2019 and 2020 campaigns. A total of 10,037 dogs and 520 cats were vaccinated during the 2019 campaign and 13,219 dogs and 1,044 cats during the 2020 campaign. The vaccination data were recorded with the GDL and visualized via REB. Subsequent GIS-analysis using gridded population data revealed a suboptimal vaccination coverage in the great majority of grid cells (82%) with a vaccination coverage below 50%. Spatial regression analysis identified the number of schools, estimated human density, and adult dog population were associated with the vaccination performance. However, there was an inverse correlation to human densities. Nonetheless, the use of the GDL improved data capturing and monitoring capacity of the campaign, enabling the Namibian government to improve strategies for the vaccination of at-risk areas towards achieving adequate vaccination coverage which would effectively break the transmission of rabies.