Organization of rabies vaccination campaign in Colatina, Espírito Santo, Brazil: case report

Abstract

Introduction:
The rabies vaccination campaign is part of the national rabies prophylaxis program and made it possible to reduce the incidence of human rabies through the elimination of the urban transmission cycle. In recent years, transmission by bats and wild animals has acquired epidemiological importance and the reduction in dog vaccination coverage rates may lead to the return of the urban transmission cycle. Experience report: It reports the experience of organizing the activities of the anti-rabies vaccination campaign in the city of Colatina in 2020. The planning of actions was carried out, including the institutional environment and developing forms for monitoring procedures that enabled the creation of indicators. Compared to 2018, in 2020, there was an increase in vaccination coverage of 57% in the rural area of the municipality and a reduction in the urban perimeter (-17%). Conclusion: The elaborated indicators allow the follow-up and planning of activities for next years. It is recommended to devise strategies that allow greater adherence to animal vaccination in the urban area of the municipality and that activities of the rabies vaccination campaigns be carried out between the months of June and September, because these are months with a higher probability of dry weather and it favors the referral of all vaccinated animals to the National Immunization Program in a timely manner.