Similarly, internationally recognised vaccination guidelines for dogs recommend primary vaccination against rabies at 12C13?weeks of age (WSAVA 2010, AAHA 2011). all dogs in rabies endemic regions, including those less than three months of age, are vaccinated with high quality, inactivated vaccine. strong class=”kwd-title” Keywords: Rabies, Public health, Epidemiology, Vaccines, Dogs Introduction Canine-mediated human rabies kills approximately 60,000 people every year (WHO 2013, Hampson as well as others 2015). Mortality from rabies is usually highest in less developed communities in Asia and Africa where domestic dogs are free-roaming (Ezeokoli and Umoh 1987, Butler and Bingham 2000, Kitala and others 2002, Kayali and others 2003, Windiyaningsih and others 2004, Reece and Chawla 2006, Kasempimolporn and others 2008, WHO 2013); with increasing evidence that the majority are owned (Ezeokoli and Umoh 1987, Butler and Bingham 2000, Estrada and others 2001, Windiyaningsih as well as others 2004, van Sittert as well as others 2010, Gsell and others 2012, Morters as well as others 2014b) and, thus, generally accessible for vaccination (Lembo as well as others 2010, Knobel as well as others 2013). Mass vaccination of domestic dogs is key to the successful control of canine rabies, and a strong body of theoretical and empirical evidence indicates that vaccinating 70 per cent of the dog populace during annual campaigns should be sufficient to control rabies (Coleman and Dye 1996, Cleaveland and others 2003, 2006, Belotto and others 2005, Schneider and others 2005, Hampson and others 2009, WHO 2013). Achieving vaccination coverage of 70 per cent during campaigns should maintain populace immunity above the crucial levels of 20C45 per cent required to interrupt rabies transmission (Coleman and Dye 1996, Hampson as well as others 2009). Effective coverage has been achieved Tolvaptan through vaccinating juveniles and adults (Chomel as well as others 1987, Beran 1991, de Balogh as well as others 1993, Mitmoonpitak and others 1998, Matter and others 2000, Flores-Ibarra and Estrella-Valenzuela 2004, Touihri as well as others 2011), given that puppies less than three months of age are often excluded from vaccination programmes (Chomel as well as others 1987, Beran and Frith 1988, Tolvaptan Brooks 1990, Tolvaptan Matter and Fico 1998, Mitmoonpitak as well as others 1998, Matter as well as others 2000, Gunatilake and others 2003, Flores-Ibarra and Estrella-Valenzuela 2004, Awoyomi and others 2007, Durr and others 2009, Touihri as well as others 2011). Low vaccination coverage in puppies has important implications for public health, especially as vaccination coverage of the population and, thus, herd immunity declines following a vaccination campaign. A proportionally higher incidence of rabies is usually often reported in dogs under 12?months of age, which includes puppies less than three months of age (Belcher as well as others 1976, Malaga and others 1979, Beran 1991, Mitmoonpitak as well as others 1998, Widdowson as well as others 2002). In these studies, the proportion of laboratory confirmed cases in dogs under three months of age range from 7.6 per cent to 17.4 per cent. This presents a serious risk to the public, given that Slit2 the fraction of puppies less than three months of age in a populace may be large, reportedly ranging from 4.1 per cent to 39 per cent (Davlin and VonVille 2012), and the close relationship between human beings and puppies (Mitmoonpitak as well as others 1997, Taiwo and others 1998, WHO 1998, Widdowson and others 2002, Awoyomi as well as others 2007). Puppies less than three months of age are generally excluded from rabies vaccination programmes around the assumption that they have immature immune systems and maternal antibodies (Day 2007, Siegrist 2008, Hodgins and Shewen 2012) which may limit the immune response to rabies vaccine. Primarily to safeguard against possible inhibitory effects of maternal antibody, most manufacturers of high quality, inactivated rabies vaccines for dogs recommend a primary or booster vaccination at 12C13?weeks (Merial Animal Health Limited, MSD Animal Health). Similarly, internationally recognised vaccination guidelines for dogs recommend primary vaccination against rabies at 12C13?weeks of age (WSAVA 2010, AAHA 2011). Consequently, those administering vaccine under field conditions may be reluctant to use rabies.