Human death from suspected rabid dog bite in Zamfara State, Nigeria

Abstract

Rabies is a neglected zoonotic disease occurring mostly as a result of dog bites and with a case fatality rate approaching 100% in humans. We describe here a suspected case of human rabies from a stray dog bite in a 52-year-old woman in Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria. In response to the exposure, a team of researchers was set up to investigate further the possible contacts between the rabid dog and the subjects at risk. Rabies was identified based on clinical signs observed on the victim, in addition to exposure history and incubation period. Rabies is becoming a rising public health problem in Nigeria. Coordinated efforts from various partners guided by one-health approach in the control and prevention of rabies should be prioritized at a wider scale in the country.

Keywords: Dog bite, Human rabies, Nigeria, Zamfara, Zoonosis