Evaluation of rabies virus characterization to enhance early detection of important rabies epizootic events in the United States

Details

• Alternative Title:
  J Am Vet Med Assoc
• Personal Author:
  Pieracci, Emily G. ; Chipman, Richard B. ; Morgan, Clint N. ; Brown, Catherine M. ; Kirby, Jordona D. ; Blanton, Jesse D. ; Velasco-Villa, Andres ; Martin, Ashlee D. ; Nelson, Kathleen M. ; Singh, Amber ; LeMasters, Elizabeth ; Weiner, Zachary ; Wallace, Ryan M.
• Description:
  OBJECTIVE
  
  To evaluate rabies virus (RABV) characterization data obtained from animal specimens submitted to the US public health rabies surveillance system and propose a standardized approach to sample selection for RABV characterization that could enhance early detection of important rabies epizootic events in the United States.
  
  SAMPLE
  
  United States public health rabies surveillance system data collected from January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2015.
  
  PROCEDURES
  
  Data were reviewed to identify RABV-positive specimens for which virus characterization would likely provide information regarding any of 4 overarching events (discovery of novel variants, translocation of RABV variants, host-shift events, and any unusual rabies-related event) that could substantially alter animal rabies epizootiology in the United States. These specimens were designated as specimens of epizootiological importance (SEIs). Estimates of the additional number of specimens that public health laboratories could expect to process each year if all SEIs underwent RABV characterization were calculated.
  
  RESULTS
  
  During the 6-year period, the mean annual number of SEIs was 855 (95% CI, 739 to 971); the mean number of SEIs that underwent virus characterization was 270 (95% CI, 187 to 353). Virus characterization of all SEIs would be expected to increase the public health laboratories’ test load by approximately 585 (95% CI, 543 to 625) specimens/y.
  
  CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
  
  Prioritization of RABV characterization of SEIs may improve early detection of rabies events associated with RABV host shifts, variant translocations, and importation. Characterization of SEIs may help refine wildlife rabies management practices. Each public health laboratory should evaluate testing of SEIs to ensure diagnostic laboratory capacity is not overstretched.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Animals Animals, Wild Rabies Rabies Virus United States
• Source:
  J Am Vet Med Assoc. 256(1):66-76
• Pubmed ID:
  31841088
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC11351658
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  CC999999/ImCDC/Intramural CDC HHSUnited States/
• Volume:
  256
• Issue:
  1
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:e2cdf86fa04c2745aeb59403809d91bebcb581060e45c323309917f43ccdf9a002893d1428708ab7783b1e62d0b17a477cc55c0178fcb9b2bc94587b3775ed9f
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/160673/cdc_160673_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 312.74 KB ]