Proceedings
Factors associated with the rabies vaccination status of dogs in households in Beni City, D.R. Congo
Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research | Vol 91, No 2 | a2168 |
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ojvr.v91i2.2168
| © 2024 Prince D. Kimpanga, Emery K. Taghembwa, Gauthier M. Mubenga, Jean-Marie T. Makwera, Norbert M. Muhongya, Odrade B. Chabikuli, Justin M. Masumu
| This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 06 February 2024 | Published: 16 August 2024
Submitted: 06 February 2024 | Published: 16 August 2024
About the author(s)
Prince D. Kimpanga, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the, CongoEmery K. Taghembwa, Department of Veterinary Inspectorate, North Kivu Provincial Bureau of Animal Production and Health, Beni, Democratic Republic of the, Congo
Gauthier M. Mubenga, African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the, Congo
Jean-Marie T. Makwera, Higher Institute of Medical Techniques, Beni, Democratic Republic of the, Congo
Norbert M. Muhongya, Faculty of Medicine, Université Officielle de Ruwenzori, Butembo, Democratic Republic of the, Congo
Odrade B. Chabikuli, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the, Congo
Justin M. Masumu, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université Nationale Pédagogique, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the, Congo
Abstract
Human rabies transmitted by dogs still kills thousands of people each year worldwide. Dog bites are common in the city of Beni (Democratic Republic of Congo), which shows low rabies vaccination coverage. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with the rabies vaccination status of dogs. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in the town of Beni among dog owners, during a household survey selected using a multistage sampling. The information sought concerned the knowledge and characteristics of the dog owners as well as the vaccination status of these dogs. Logistic regression was used to investigate associations between the vaccination status of the dogs and the main independent factors. Rabies vaccination coverage in Beni was 26% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 22% – 30%). The main factors associated with the rabies vaccination status of the dog were primary education level of household head (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]:4.8; 95% CI: 1.2– 19.8); university education level of household head (aOR: 5.9; 95% CI: 1.6–22); perceived rabies severity (aOR: 44. 4; 95% CI: 10.4–188), having more than one dog in the household (aOR: 2.6; 95% CI: 1.6–4.3); age range 7–12 months (aOR: 0.2; 95% CI: 0.1–0.6) and confined dog breeding (aOR: 3.9; 95% CI: 1.1–14.9). The low vaccination coverage in Beni requires mass vaccination campaigns against canine rabies targeting the dog owners with low education levels, those raising more than one dog, with stray dogs or dogs less than 12 months old.
Keywords
rabies; vaccination; dog; zoonosis; household survey; Beni.
Sustainable Development Goal
Goal 3: Good health and well-being
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