Eze, Ukamaka U.Ngoepe, Ernest ChueneAnene, Boniface M.Ezeokonkwo, Romanus C.Nwosuh, ChikaSabeta, Claude Taurai2019-05-102019-05-102018-12-22Eze, U.U., Ngoepe, E.C., Anene, B.M. et al. 2018, 'Detection of lyssavirus antigen and antibody levels among apparently healthy and suspected rabid dogs in South‑Eastern Nigeria', BMC Research Notes, vol. 11, art. 920, pp. 1-6.1756-0500 (online)10.1186/s13104-018-4024-zhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/69091Additional file 1. Geographical location of South Eastern Nigeria and the States involved in the study. Map of the study area.The authors thank staff of National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom Plateau State, Nigeria and OIE Rabies Reference Laboratory, Onderstepoort, South Africa for laboratory and technical support. We also thank Dr. Ekene Ezenduka for assistance with the data analysis.OBJECTIVES : Domestic dogs are the main reservoir of rabies virus (RABV) infection in Nigeria, thus surveillance of rabies in dog populations is crucial in order to understand the patterns of spread of infection and ultimately devise an appropriate rabies control strategy. This study determined the presence of lyssavirus antigen in brain tissues and anti-rabies antibodies in sera of apparently healthy and suspected-rabid dogs slaughtered for human consumption at local markets in South-Eastern Nigeria. RESULTS : Our findings demonstrated that 8.3% (n = 23) of brain tissues were lyssavirus positive and 2.5% (n = 25) of sera had rabies antibody levels as percentage blocking of 70% and above correlating with a cut-off value ≥ 0.5 IU/ mL in the fluorescent antibody neutralization test. There was an inverse correlation between lyssavirus positivity and rabies antibody levels confirming that infected individuals most often do not develop virus neutralizing antibodies to the disease. The low percentage of rabies antibodies in this dog population suggests a susceptible population at high risk to RABV infection. These findings highlight a huge challenge to national rabies programs and subsequent elimination of the disease from Nigeria, considering that majority of dogs are confined to rural communal areas, where parenteral dog vaccination is not routinely undertaken.en© The Author(s) 2018. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.LyssavirusAntigenAntibodiesRabies virus (RABV)Direct fluorescent antibody (DFA)Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)Dogs (Canis familiaris)Veterinary science articles SDG-03SDG-03: Good health and well-beingArticle