Rabies in South Africa : occurrence and distribution of cases during 1933

01Ule1'Stepoo1·t J our·nal of V eterinar·y Science and A 11 irnal lnd7tStJ"y, Vol1tme 3, .Vmnber 2, Octobe1·, 1934.

Rabies in South Africa.

Occurrence and Distribution of Cases during 1933 .

By W. 0. NEITZ, B.V.Sc., and A. D. THOMAS, D.V.Sc., Veterinary Research Officers, Onderstepoort.

IN comparing the number of positive eases of rabies diagnosed in 1933 with those for the previous year Neitz and 'l'homas (1932), it will be found that there is a remarkable increase i:n the incidence of the disease not only in small wild carnivora (Tl iverridae) but also in human beings anrl domestic animals. 'l'he material sent in for laboratory examination is more than double that submitted in 1932.

Out of the 48 specime:ns submitted for laboratory examination from various parts of the Union, 2G proved to be positive for rabies. In our previous report (1932) we were inclined to ascribe this rapid increase in the incidence of rabies more to realisation by the public of the potential danger of viverrids as carriers of rabies and hence more material being sent in for laboratory exami:nation than to a definite spread of the disease. From the observations made during 1933, however, there is little doubt that rabies has spread to an extent that cannot be regarded as other than serious.

It is true that the country has been experiencing more than usually dry seasons lately which culmi;natecl this year in one of the worst droughts known. We have little or no knowledge of the habits, food supplies, and other factors affecting the life of our smaller wild carnivora, but it would certainly be very strange if they did not react in some way or other to such unprecedented adverse conditions. It is thus more than probable that migration in search for food must have taken place to a greater or lesser extent and so account for the greater spread of the disease.

It will be interesting in this respect to note the effects of the general and soaking rains which fell after November, 1933. It has been reported that numbers of meercats were drowned in their burrows as a result of the rains. Starvati<Jn, disease, possibly canni- balism may have accounted for a considerable additional number. With the return of normal food supplies more stable conditions may again prevail. If the drought has had anything to do with this increased incidence of rabies during the last two years it is probably safe to predict a corresponding decrease in rabies with the return to normal climatic conditions. This should in no way affect the very urgent need for research into the life-history and means of controlling the VivfJ'l·ridae in those areas known to be infected.

335

RABIES IN SOUTH AFRICA.

DISCUSSION OF THE OASES.

For the sake of convenience the relevant data are tabulated as in our previous report. In 'I'able I will be found all a.-ailable details of each positi.-e case. Table II giYes a summary of the distribution of the disease in the provinces and the species of animal affected. In Table III are gi.-en the details of cases examined ·with negative results.

It will be seen from Table I that whenever suitable material for histo-pathological examination \Yas recei.-ed ~ egri bodies were demonstrated with the exception of three cases, namely, 18, 25 and 2G. It "·ill be noted, ho\\·Her, that all three these animals \\·ere destroved. The fact that the disease "-as not allowerl to run its course .. may explain the difficulty or impossibility of finding Negri bodies. This illustrates once again the necessity of controlling by biological inoculation all suspecterl cases giving negative finrlings histologically.

The disease in human beings was b·ansmitterl once by a dog, twice by the domestic cat, t\Tice b:v the yello"· mungoose, and o;nce by a wild cat (species not determined). The incubation period varied from 3 \Yeeks to 3 months. The mode of transmission to the domestic animals in most cases was not determined, but it can be assumed that one or other member of the family T!iverridcw was responsible.

The incubatio.n period in rabbits used for the biological test varied from 8 to 21 days, usually with an average of 14 days. Oases 1 and 3 show rare exceptions in which the incubation period \\·as 65 and 76 clays respectively. Rabbit R. 1013 in Case 1 and Rabbit R. 1415 in Case 25 did not develop rabies in spite of the fact that their mates injected with the same material succumbed to the disease. 'l'wo rabbits R. 1362 (Case 2:1) and R. 1416 (Case 26), showed typical symptoms of the dumb form of rabies, but histo- logically no Negri bodies \Yere demonstrated.

Case No. 18 is of special interest. The Government Veterinary Officer, Rustenburg, who sent this mate1·ial from a calf examined by him investigated this outbreak on the farm Leliefontein approxi- mately 60 miles from Rustenburg in the Ventersclorp district. He reports that this farmer had lost 9 calves and three cows over a period of 6 months. These animals were stated to have shown a peculiar gait, in some cases became aggressi Ye, bello"·ing, frothing from the mouth and exhihiting increased sexual excitahility. Later paralysis, coma and then death followed. The symptoms described by the owner of these animals are so typical that there is little doubt that they all contracted rabies and died from it in that period. It appears further that several colonies of meercats were established in close moximity to the kraal in '"hich the cattle in question "·ere kept.

DIFFERENTIAL DuGKOSJ s.

·The reason for including Table III in the present report is to show as far as possible what other conditions have been encountered and have to be considered in differential diagnosis. Acute forms of

836

.1.

337-338

E I

TABL (cont.)

11..\ltii·;S IN -.:oJI"I'U AFU.It:A. 'fAllLI,: L t':uu: Nultlltcr.\ ~!"out;,

o===========7==~=~c= LOt'Al.ITY. Spcc·ll,on I File So. I l'io. Jfnl<'rial f!"Olll. \ t•rovince. j Di~trlct. Town or farm. ('as1: 1 .......

-r

o.F.S----_-,-u-o.--h:f. .... ·-__ -__ -: D<':llcs,~illc (Towni_Hr_"'-''---~-1,-,-,.-,,-;1-1-11/L~oa

I

r·r,,utlHI ptiiiCillutu , .. ,.,"""'Y, 1<1:1:1 •

I I ' "'" ' ~;~ , ;-; _- _ -_

-.-..

- - -- ~~

Uoshot ..... -.. ----. Dcalcsville .............

! ~ - t-:i' l m l 1 - ~ ··,,uutai11Citu:Ji l ullt

l•'d.Jruary,lU:33 ~~---~------ t:a~c ::: ....•.... O.F.S.. gdenbnrg ...... J~denhurg (TowulatHIS). l:i:.llH~ft; !4l/ll4ij t ('llll"l!~t Jllmt:r/111/11

. -\nima.J cont•t•rund i11 trnu~Jui::;~iou. )(arch, 1\l3a

1 -- - -- --·-

---~--~-~~~----~-

__ _ _

Cnsc ,!,.. . . . . . . . 0 F S rromp>!bllrg .l'rouq>~lultg (Jowul,mds) t;>-117 J 1141/ llU ('IJ!IIdt~i JH'm~;dlol<t .Marcil, 19:!3

I

l:i-11~ G Cttse 5... 01 ~ .llloemfont<:ut Blueu1fontcm ('lOttni.HHI!i) --(,Q--~~~(~mnltfl 1JeJrtCJ/lata --~----~-- AJlril, 103:.l

I "

J Cnse tL...... U 1-'S &neka\ I' ~Iuht -~j~,'2MI •N.tttu m.dc, 8 )Cars (·ym AJlt\1,19~3 ! •

l

1 1 111 ' 1 '·'·''" 11 ' "· ' ''""";,!" 11 "" ~-~

I lll ><ril<(llt:tl malo•nnl. . J.:.~]Jt. l:ai>. 1 I J\n. auuual. 'i'Htl dl"l'lt!t! l•to~o·oJ, .. l'o~il i\"t•. l'osili\t". J'o~il i\t·. l.'o~it.i\T.

~ l~i!J-1 I H. 111!1:1 I IL tut::

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.~ 1\lli~'\ . I~ IIII-I I I ~ llll ;,

I ' "' ·" '

. S 1\IHO . ...;;,ouo s.-.n:tl I~ 10:!.-l ! n w:.:H' nro::ol J:IU:\1 u Jo!u! I~ lUI I ! I~ IOH:l H.ltl~l

I ___ , __ - ~~ --- ~ ----

Gnst~ 7....... O.l•'.S.. Bluemioutein.. G!etl ::ichool of Agriculture, 1 1

2UH G. III/I:; G!lui1:li11 wnidllat(~...... ·--Positlve .. ~(u.y, L933 20J3 F. . . c •• c 8.. .. . . o.r.s.. Trolll]lSl>Hrg.. . HanH'Ifoutein (Far.m).. -. :lt:l7 F~[-ltl/310 J,~~~.·~·.··· .. ·.-...

' I -

No hippocatlljiiiS :t\;dl-I X :,o;,:; June, 1033 ·------3-131S G. able for cxamiunt ion )ase 9.. .. .. O.l•'.S... Trom;,!;·~~~ Hamc!foutcin (Fat HI).. ----=----1-11/JIU I Nath~;J~:-7;:;;.~·:----:--Doll .. ~ .. ~· .. Juue, 193:! . ; I '

ILJ:!-IIi lll:!-11

\\". 0. ~~I:!:ITZ .\.KJ) .\. IJ. TIIQ)I.\S. BIOJ.~tUI4".\J, "l'l~x·rs . 1 1 '

I

Jrwuh. I l>urntion lfi·to-P·tth

I

1111;':11 aU:t )fo·l.lulll. tu·riucl iu

I

of dii<C:\.SC

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cx~~tuit~:;t.iml. ltll!t. •la_vs. ht •lay<~.

llcruark~. --- !::;-;](;G.

I

Sululut·nl ~~ 1\r,

I

2 L'osi~c. -~ Oit:U St:tJHCI to opcmti~u. :: :: 1 I --Did Hot :<how .~.\"lliJ)\IlllH!. l{ilh'd 4 lliOHlhs htler It:!::~~ u:-i~-~~:~·,r:tl :~:

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1 t;~~l~J~:~-: :~

: , :: ; ~~

-! :::::::::::: ;; -:

!- ~:::::::- I ___ -

tr, 6 ! l'osiU\'C .. ·1 .; G. li(J. :-iulodnrnl :!til·lli., St~I,.Jural ::J:i.:;-u.-~dur::i· " ____ \_"

1~-·--:--rt~~~w~:~::.

- ---- - ·--

1-1 1:! 1:\ IS

~---.r,,;;;-;;;;,;;,-h,-a-ite-, -:-be-,-;n-g --,bl-tt.en on the llnge., osyuqotmn;, oiC\"Ciopcd. ],aboratory f'Xuntinntion Uy the South .Afrira11 Tnstltntc uf :'lfctticfll Rcsrarclt, Johatutcsburg, coJrtlnne<.l diagnosl11 1------1----1-~~ ::~ ------------ l'o~ll.hc ... l'usitivc .. Po~ith·c .. Po!<ithc .. i -! l 'h1~~id~itten by Do~. Case 8. l'ost mortem not.

1

---~----Xathe hitlen on outer edge of left cychrow. t•ile weeks latcr 8YlllJltOms dc\CiopCII, <Ultl death followed :~ days later. l.aUomtory cxa\llillatlon l)y South Africrm lut~tltutc fur I I .\[t"t!i<:al .Llel:carch, Jvhrumeaburg, oliaguuSI!i; 1 m•·i~.

~'~" " , . .. ~ ~· .. ·· ,~ .... . . . .. . ... : _I=_~:- ... ~ .... __ · __ · _ · _· ~~ , -~:~ .. ~~~~~ ~:~_ .. ] _ __ ___ ____ ___ _ _

Lichtcuburg.. lJ:unaskus, ttcar IJeJarcy·l :m:w U.

I

l2i;/I7U c'!lwit"lil! lll'ltil"illlll<t. ..... 11 ·-i :.l"o nHttcrlaJ avaihthle ..

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f•<lli·l ville . 1 GaJ~~~~~:·ti}":_!";j" .. I 'J.'vl. ·~~tJI... 1\a!l"cr~kmal ~ann} ... ~~~ .iG~Jt ~: ~~:1;{{14-~'!ll:if"Lt"s 1m~i(;;n;;::~--~ -----=-·~---~-_"! l'o~ifh·e .. ~-:-:-~--~-T--;-;;7!)

Tvl .. Case 11 .•.... June, 19:!3 n I:!Lo{ :u_;~;-u.-1-. s;;-l:lltr:l.'

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It 1:!1!1 ,. .. It r::os .. lu::H (i.

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~.~Jur:-11 -~

1:! I:! ·-···-·:~iii~-~ · Po~ithc ..

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·) ------'I' H. l:mH CaJ~ .. ~~-liliJS' ..

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TvL . ' Bmkpan... Vn" Dyk Compound..

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'''"'"PCUn male... Cynklif p'nicillnln ___ ..

I -

-----~ ----

l

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r

1-1 1-1

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j l.'v~ithc .. ! I . 1 Po.oiti\C. \ ·~-·--~----~ Tl:l~c\~1 11~d~1:~~i~,~~tl~c}~ffo,~~~tc21' d8l~~P~~~~~

I

~-- 1 ' Labomtorr exnmiuatlou Ly s .. uth Airicau I. lu~titnte fur :'>fedical Heaearch contlnucU diagnos.irt of rnbles. ; Ko umtcriul for biological test was sent. Histo· I Jlat.holo~lcal exautination of nutcrior et:n:ic11l , ~attJ.!Ii(lll did not show .~cgrl-boctlcs.

CRS(l u ......

l

L:.P .... ,lfalekiug.. . .. , Kuowlc l'al"k (l•'arm)... ·1331J F. 1126/2 fJf'llf")/.nfdin"·· -----

-, ~-

July,J93S ---· • )

' 'I

.:.-;-;;;,,~;;:,,c:-::--:-:-~ ~--------· ---· ~--=-I ·--_ Cnse 15 ... . UY.H. Scuekat. Jul)·, 10:13 Hcliopltila (l,'nrm). · N"ative lll<lle yea!".')) (a~cd

~ --

-----·-· ·-------· -------I -----------------------

--~~ weeks -~ftcr being i>it.ten, symptoms de,·cloped, ami llco.th followed 4 clayi! later. l.abOmtory CXIUtlinntiOH hy .;outh Africun Institute for !\fc•lica.l Hc~eurch contln11Cd the din![un~ls of rabies. --- >-

I

.Jll[l U. 1-~1/i-174 (.'fJUicti~ JJeHicillrlfa ..... 1-!Too decomposed... ~-S 50fkl i H. J:.liJ .JU;, G. • iuLduml 1 If'.' 1110 .1<'. It 1,.;1~ i t:·, ------------____ , _________ ; _________ I ___ ~!_!_:_ ___ .. __ ! __ ·_:_ __ . ~- t.:ase 17 0 li' S Scneknl Rc.-.,11\a (l•,mn) '[ -Ho70 G I H/3U3 <'!IIIU:l!a Jlenwdlll/11 I -I To tlt'COill1JO$C<.I.... I S 5ll0 lliJ~tl I 467\J G. , Subdund ' II -1 j l'osith·c. Sec Case l\o. 7, Table 111. ~~--------------~~-------------------------'---ltl:~2!) ___ .. __ :! ___ .. _1_~ _ _1 ___ , __ ~ ________ -:-______ _ (.;use 18 rvi Vente•~ttorp Ldwfuntcm (Farm) •t!IIB b l i"•/"• l!.tll I Scgath"e .......... ·~· S 511;;. lll335j 5099 0. I Suhdttml

I

1:1 1 :1 . Po!<lti\C ... I' The owner or this farm lost a cowl! itlld 9 calves, Atlgust, 1933 ------__ 1 _ '•UO\J~-__ ~ ------I __ ----____ I IL 1336 I __ .. ____ ,_. ____ o _ _i __ , ___ 1_ Po>'itivc.. !<howinp; symptoms of rnbics. Cuse 19 ... -.. . . . Tv I.. Schweizer H.cn~..-ck4• Jain Ia (Farlll).. I J I'J~ .1:

I

UH/L03 t Jtwcll)l penu;r/lolu i -. PosiLive.. . . . . . . . .

I

S 512:j I It 1:~-U 1 .i.J{i\) U. ~· ~ubdumJ

I - .I -

I -Dietl ;:e<juel to opcmti(Jil. August,, 11M3 . . i 10\.l G J I . . lit I:.J-1r1 J , , 8 a Po~itl\"e. . - Case 20 ... U.P. Vryhurg ... --Croudale (i"fmu).... --:~~IH/82 l) .. t;;~t ---,-·--r~:-:-.--~ S [)1:!-t I U.l3.t6l~ G-:-1 1. ::iub•lurnl ~--~:~--~ -,-- 1¹ Positi,·e ... A Gcuetcatfoughtwith n dog which deveiOJ>Cd August, 19:J:.l "tlul f' I u. 1347 1 16 4 ro~iil\·e.. symptoms of rabies 1o-12 days h~ter. 'fhere ! " 1 'I Is a J.IOHSibility that this cat as well us the one I ' j In Ctu;e 21 wn!i bitten by the dog. So laboru- 1

/ ! tory examination was carried out on this

I I I

1 ----, dog or Genet. .:nt. ~--c-· ,-,--Vryburg clO\ld,dc (l'llllll) 'J-104 G II .1-14/~2 tiHI!UStiC lUI } I lou dct.'VIUJ)()!<ed . ~::; jJ20 I H. 1:\.J~ i-s~! SuUdurnl·-_-~~-----;:--; ]'o~ith·c. August, 1933 )4(j) F ' R 1340 ,, ,, . l -DicJ sccj11Ci to op(wation. t!ee remarks on <.:use 20. Cast: 22---~ 'IHH>IJ'"'lnug ] tom-.pluuJ( (lu\\ul.tlld!i) ~-~p~ f :t•~<tl-;;;,~~n:;;;;------~----l'<t>;tttvc ~---. --;:;--_. ~ ~i---:::;:;n 0. I s_·niJdur:ll --~-··.· --,,--ll'n,.i1~.\c... ·- August, J~---------____ _27~~--~-__ ----_ -------------------~~:J~I ! ____ !___ ~-~--"---~~-----·-~---=---------·- Case t:i 0 l<'S F.dculmrg l•dtmllltlg (10\ltllllld<:t) .):'lh2 G 111/1110 Cyntc/Uipt'ltlllfllli<r I -Postii\C s .11;.\Y lti:JI\~1 r.;wi G.l SUb<lmal -Ia

I. -

3 }{('gati\·c.. - Sept,19:i3 . -------;,.::uJ.F________ _ -~--------------__ .I Rl:ma ____ .. ____ ,_. ___ l2 . --'---~ --- Case 2-1... .. .. . O.F.S. Houtu•tad.. Jc,utcltc (J:arm)... -ll·:uropcan feutak.

I

Dome~ouc cnt --I -1 -1 ---

I _ -

.L•'i\·e wc<::'ks ;tftcr b<'lng bitl.cn in the right lmncl October, 1 u:33 1 1 .

I

hy a doltlC.;ticcatsytuptomsof mblc:~ ctcvcloJlCd ' I : aud df'at.h iollowed .i days later. J,nboratory I

I

1

cxMniuatlon t•arrietl ont. by 8outh A frie~m > , lu!<.litute fur )it!dicnl ltescnrch ut Johannes-

!

I I burg cout1rmeJ the dingnosis of rnUiCf!. Ca.~c 2~:~--~~ .. -.Kn•••••~f:"i~~-----.-;;~:;;flpan(P:;;;~-.•).-.--~ .... ;: . ..., .. :! IA_)-j,\·,-.! -tl/1.!} ·-:;Jk~l;-:------.. ~-~---~--,----~)onbtful------1--;-::;l!}hlltl:ti; 71">-t l (

\)(;1

Snhd111a! --,-,-

--,-- 2

---~~~--- ~"~o,·., IU:la 7:·H3 (A) G. I 1 • ' 11 lll'i , I , --i -l~f~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\~~{r~frat ~::~~~~~~~~~'Wn~:~:~~~~·~:; ' J 1 !

I

1 1 1 sunc f,1rnt as Case 26. _____ _ Co!!c 26.~~-~~~Y~S~-:-~~~.i-.-.. 1:r:1:·1•a1t (l•::~~;.-;~-----·-~;:-;4·i-(!i)7, -~-~~-;l!).SJk~-·---~· ------------- 1JJou1Jtful _____ 1 ~ Vl9t •. 11Zf,l""i" -,~:(1\)(ll~'dural]-11--

1

^--,--

J.~~~~ . ::_ ~o,·., l\1:3:3 il-1-1:1 (H) 0.1

I

I

I

U.IIHI , ,. ~I 4 1 N"el(nthe C/lHt<.lil~ B. 1416 showc~ dumlJ rabies. This -' I e~t,.c 04'1'ltfl"ed at same tunc and on same f:trut ! 1 J l a:> Case 25. --

(Jn~;e lG ..... . .July, IIJ:i:-1 O.F.S .. Huopstad .. ·l :!37-338

W. 0. NEITZ AND A. D. THOMAS.

nervous distemper, particularly when accompanied with fits, are of course very commonly and naturally regarded with suspicion. In Case 21 ('l'able III) the peculiar behaviour of the dog \\"aS readily explained when the brain was found to harbour Jnnnerous " measles "

identified as CysticetC1tS cell1dosae.

Incidentally, also it will be noted how often brains useless for histo-pathological examination are submitted. 'l¹he animals in such cases are evidently killed by stoning or club bi.ng and the brain and skull unnecessarily battered and pulped as a result, s·o that it is impossible to find a suitable pie<:e for microscopic preparation.

THE SPREAD O.F THE DISEASE.

rrhe appe_ncled map shows the districts in which rabies is ]mown to have occurred. The remarks made in our preYious article regard- ing the limits of the infection still hold. Comparison of this map with that for 1932 brings out clearly and significantly how <1istrict:- adjacent to the ones in which rabies has previously been diagnosed are being progressively included in the known infected area. New outbreaks in the Transvaal are: Brakpan, Ventersdorp, and Schweizer Reneke; in the Orange Free State: Fauresmith, Senekal and Edenburg. These ne,dy infected districts are shaded black iu the map.

CoRRECTION.

Through an oYersight the district of De Aar, an old infected area, was not marked accordingly in the map in our previous repor1 for 1932. ^{It is} shown correctly shaded in the present one.

ACI<NOWLEDG:YlENTS.

Thanks are due to M:r. F. Boughton for his able assistance with the operations and for keeping records, to Mr. C. J. Walker for preparing the map, and to the Head of the Department of Public Health for information suppliecl.

LITERATURE.

Du TOIT, P. J. (1929). Habies in South Africa, P1·oc. Pan-A-frican Vet.

Con/., Pretoria, Aug., 1929, pp. 272-284.

NEITZ, W. 0., AKD MARAIS, I. P. (1932). Rabies as it Occurs in the Union of South Africa. 18th Bept. Dir. Vety. Serv. and Anim. lndust., Union of S.A., Aug., 1932, pp. 71-98.

NElTZ, W. 0., AND THOMAS, A. D. (1933). Rabies in South Africa. Occur- rence and Distribution of Cases in 1932. OndersiepooTt Jnl. of Sc. and Anim. lndust., VoL 1, pp. 51-56.

THEILEl't, A. (1934). Habies in South Africa. Vet. Jnl., Vol. 90, No. 1, 1934, pp. 9-13.

THOMAS, A. D., A~D JACKSON, C. (1930). The Value of the Midbrain in the Diagnosis of Rabies in Rabbits. Jnl. S.A. Vet. Med. Assoc., Vol. 1, part 4, pp. 67-73.

VOSGIEN, Y. (1911). Le Cystice1ws cellulosae chez l'homme et chez les nnimnnx.

5 ~9

RAJnES IK SOUTH AFRICA.

TABLE U.

Total Rabies Diagnosed U1. Transvaal. Orange Cape Number of

Free State. Province. Cases in the Union.

- - -

Humans .... ... 5 6

Dop;~ .............. ( l) (1)

Cats (Domestic) ............ 2 2 4

Cattle. ... 1 (ll) 1 (ll)

- ----

Sheep. ... 2 2

Cynictis penicil/qtu. ··· ... ^{4 11 15}

Oenetta felina. ... l (l) 1 (J)

Wild Cat (species not mentioned).

TOTALS fOR TIIJ: YEAR 1933. 6 (ll) 22 :-J (2) 31 (1:3)

Tne figures in brackets refer to clinically positi,-e cases of rabies, material f1·om which was not aYr.ilabk for confirmation of diagnoses.

,,