Publications by authors named "Van Denn D Cruz"
Rabies is a viral zoonosis that kills thousands of people annually in low- and middle-income countries across Africa and Asia where domestic dogs are the reservoir. 'Zero by 30', the global strategy to end dog-mediated human rabies, promotes a One Health approach underpinned by mass dog vaccination, post-exposure vaccination of bite victims, robust surveillance and community engagement. Using Integrated Bite Case Management (IBCM) and whole genome sequencing (WGS), we enhanced rabies surveillance to detect an outbreak in a formerly rabies-free island province in the Philippines.
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- Despite efforts to eliminate rabies, it remains a significant issue in the Philippines, particularly in Oriental Mindoro Province, where dog vaccination and surveillance are insufficient.
- The Integrated Bite Case Management (IBCM) approach over three years showed high demand for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), yet many patients were not at high risk, and traditional surveillance missed the majority of rabies cases.
- The study estimated that PEP prevents 20 to 43 human deaths annually at a substantial cost, revealing that improvements are needed in rabies prevention and control strategies to better address the ongoing problem.