VET’S DEMAND HEEDED

‘’Geetha Potty Commission report was approved by the cabinet meeting heldon 2nd March 2016. The proposal for equating the scales of Veterinary Doctors tothat of Dental Doctors was also approved by the cabinet and referred to anomalycommittee. Transfer norms for Vets of AHD was signed by Hon’ble Minister forAgriculture, Animal Husbandry. Based on this KGVOA and IVA decided towithdraw the strike on 02.03.2016. We express our whole hearted thanks to allour members who fought this battle bravely.’’

General Secretary, IVA, Kerala

Government has to shoulder in making an amiccablesolution to demands raised by KGVOA.

The strike was a true show of significance on thesilent role played by the vets for the community whichwas evidenced by the support we got from all the quartersviz a viz leaders cutting across the political lines, media,social workers for our just and humble demands. It is anaked truth that governments from time to time havebeen undermining the importance of Animal Husbandrysector, The last nail on the coffin was the retort by theChairman of 10TH PRC through electronic media, thatAHD is a department of no importance in presentscenario and steps may be taken to abolish and redeploythe staff from AHD to other departments. The policiesand minimal demands for better working facilities andprofessional upliftment by our associations went to deafears, thus demotivating a highly qualified andcommitted professional community. The PRC evendenied the vets the paltry risk allowance of Rs 270/ in itsrecommendations blindly turning their eyes from thegreat sacrifice of our colleague Dr Gopakumar. T. Tomake the matters worse the risk allowance is allowedfor categories like Agricultural Officers, PanchayathSecretaries and even Head Clerks.

Dear members, the present strike was not for anyundue benefits .We were on strike for uplifting ourmorale and professional status. We could achieve thisvictory due to the unity and spirit of Vets and the ableleadership of KGVOA leaders with the support fromleaders of IVA, Kerala.

The ongoing third phase of stir by veterinariansof Animal husbandry department which started on 22nd

February under the aegis of Kerala GovernmentVeterinary Officers Association supported by IndianVeterinary Association, Kerala, came to an end on 2nd

March 2016 with the cabinet meeting held on 2nd March,approving the Geetha Potty Commission report.Cabinet decided to equate the pay scales of VeterinaryDoctors to that of Dental Doctors and referred toanomaly committee. Transfer norms for Vets of AHDwas also signed by Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture,Animal Husbandry. Based on this KGVOA and IVAdecided to withdraw the strike on 02.03.2016. We expressour whole hearted thanks to all our members whofought this battle bravely.

The strike which started with the Vets boycottingthe monthly conference for the month of Februaryentered the second phase on 15th February as there wasno response from Government. Veterinarians from allthe 14 districts participated in a protest march towardssecretariat and sat on dharna which was inauguratedby the Leader of Opposition, Kerala LegislativeAssembly, Sri. V. S. Achuthanandan. The march anddharna was a true show of the general sentiment of thevets of the state against the humiliation towards thecommunity by the governments from time to time. Thedharna was attended by well over 700 vets from acrossthe state. In his inaugural address Sri. V. S.Achuthanandan stressed on the important role playedby the vets for the community and the responsibility

2

MESSAGE FROM GENERAL SECRETARY

of growth rate and contribution to GDP. Livestocksector contributed 27.62% of the Agriculture GDP ofthe State during 2014-15, while in 2013-14 the sharewas 25.25 %. Thus in 2014-15 the share of the sectorin Agriculture GDP has increased, the Livestock sectoras a whole recorded a positive growth rate of 4.3percent over 2013-14. Regarding Milk production inthe State, it has increased from 26.55 lakh MT during2013-14 to 27.11 lakh MT in 2014 – 15, percentageincrease being 2.11%.

I appreciate the Lady Vet’s of Kerala who hasactively participated in the strike despite having dualresponsibility of managing home and profession. Thisyear, we are going to conduct Lady Vet’s day in Adoor,Pathanamthitta. I call upon the lady vets to participateactively in the event.

That’s it for now

Dr. Sai PrasadGeneral Secretary

Dear Fellow Vets,Greetings. We are passing through a very

crucial period in the history of veterinary professionin Kerala. 10th pay commission of Kerala has insultedthe Veterinary Profession and Professionals. There hasnever been a greater need to strike against the findingsof the pay commission. I salute Vets of Kerala whohas turned out in large numbers to strike against thepay commission findings. I take this opportunity tocongratulate state and district units of KGVOA inorganizing the protest in a befitting manner. We arealso thrilled to see the politicians cutting across thepolitical lines vouching support to our genuinedemands. Veterinarians, I believe have three majorroles to play viz a viz protection of animal wealth bydelivery of quality health care, contribute to economicdevelopment of farmers and state/region in terms ofGDP and ensuring safe food through periodicinspection and laboratory interventions.Unfortunately, the policy makers in Kerala haveturned a blind eye to the role of vets in the society.Kerala will be the number one state in the countrywhich ignores dairy and poultry sector and theprofessionals working for it. No importance is givento ensure safe food for public. We need a veterinarianto decide our priorities and policies in state planningboard. As per the economic review 2014 - 15, AH sectoris doing much better than agriculture sector in terms

COMMEMORATION OF LADY VETS DAY

In due recognition of the contribution of lady vets of Kerala, IVA, Kerala is commemoratingInternational Women’s Day on March 8th as Lady Vets Day. The event will be held at Hotel Wyte Portico,Adoor, Pathanamthitta. The programme will start by 9.00 AM. The event will be inaugurated by Smt.Chithra. S. , IAS, Assistant Collector, Kollam. Prominent Lady Vets will be honoured in the programme.There will be sessions “Make your pressure a pleasure” by Mrs. Sindhu Aneesh, Soft Skill trainer andVets in Food Safety by Dr. Rani. S. S. Assistant Director, Animal Husbandry Department. CulturalProgramme by Lady Vets of Pathanamthitta will be held along with the program. We are sure, thisprogramme will be an ideal platform for the lady vets to meet each other. We take this opportunity toinvite our lady vets in Kerala to actively participate in the event and make it a memorable one.

3

ABC AR WORKSHOP @ KOTTAYAM (photo)

Chairman of the IVA Expert Panel on ABC forIVA, Kerala. The stray Dog Population management inIndia underwent a drastic change as ABC (Dogs) Rules2001 came into force. The indiscriminate wiping out ofthe stock by inhuman methods came to an abrupt end.As per the rules the onus is on the local LSG institutionto ensure implementation of Artificial Birth Control inStreet dogs by doing ABC surgery based on the protocolof Animal Welfare Board of India(AWBI).The LSGs alsohave to ensure animal welfare by setting up animalshelters for orphan animals. The main stake holders inthe implementation of the Dog Rules, are the local LSG,and an NGO recognized by the AWBI. Since there wasno active implementation of these rules in Kerala duringthe last fifteen years, there was a street dog populationexplosion and it is perceived as direct indicator of themassive street garbage. The real ground level data showsthat many of the LSGs cannot afford to set up theoperation theatres and such infrastructure stipulatedby the AWBI and hence they confined their activity byspending some thousands of rupees as yearly plan fundto conduct vaccination and awareness camps opined Dr.Jobi George of Pariyarom ABC Centre. Laterally,protocols for management of street garbage were yet totake shape says Dr. Kishorekumar K J, Team Leader ofthe ABC Kochi run by the Kochi Corporation

Indian Veterinary Association, Kerala (IVA,Kerala) conducted a one day State Level work shop on30th January at Kottayam, on formulation of uniformprojects for Animal Birth Control (ABC) of street dogs.In the inaugural function of the workshop, Dr KrishnaKishore ,President, Kottayam district IVA unit welcomedthe gathering in the workshop presided by Dr. V.Chandramohan Nair, State President of IVA. Kerala. Dr.C. Sreekumar, General Secretary, Kerala GovernmentVeterinary Officers ‘Association and Dr. P. SaseendranNair, Registrar, Kerala State Veterinary Council offeredfelicitations. Dr Subin M S , Secretary IVA Kottayamdistrict unit conveyed the vote of thanks. ABC AR modelof Kottayam formed the basis for the workshop.

The resource persons included Dr. Deepu PhilipMathew, Chairman of the IVA Expert Panel on ABC,Dr. Kishorekumar K J, Team Leader of the ABC Kochirun by the Kochi Corporation and Dr. Jobi George ofPariyarom ABC Centre. Around 40 Veterinarians fromacross the state experienced in handling ABC programssat together, discussed and formulated recommendationsfor IVA, Kerala.

The Kottayam and Ernakulam model projectswere lauded by the policy makers as that could bereplicated to other Districts as well. But the variouslacunae and hiccups in the present ABC AR programmooted by the Government have prompted the IndianVeterinary Association, Kerala to sit and analyze theproject on a state canvass through this work shop saidDr. V. Chandramohan Nair, State President of IVA. Theorganization proposes to submit a revised project to theGovernment based on the discussions and suggestionsthat came up in the workshop informed Dr. Sai Prasad,General Secretary of IVA, Kerala. We hope theGovernment will seriously consider therecommendations and implement ABC AR programs inall Districts based on AWBI protocols that too in auniform pattern said Dr. Deepu Philip Mathew,

KOTTAYAM ABC MODELFor the first time in Kerala, an ABC project funded by the three tier Panchayaths and implemented by the

District Panchayath in cooperationwith the Animal Husbandry Department, was mooted at the behest of the DistrictCollector of Kottayam, Sri.U.V.Jose.The novel project, rightly named ‘GOOD MORNING KOTTAYAM’and with anoutlay of about 2.04 crores, got the sanction of the State Government in July 2015.Infrastructure ,as per AWBIprotocols were set up in four Veterinary Institutions.A Non Governmental Organization, Friends of AnimalsKottayam,gave institutional training for twenty five unemployed youth as Dog catchers, para veterinary staff andcaretakers .Ten veterinary doctors proficient in this surgery protocol were recruited and with these 35 contract staffthe programme was launched on 01.12.2015 at Veterinary Poly Clinics at Kanjirappaly,Pariyarom ,Vaikom andVeterinary Hospital Vazhoor.

ABSTRACT OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF ABC AR WORKSHOP HELD AT KOTTAYAM ON 30TH JANAURY2016 will be published in the next news letter.

4THRISSUR

The installation ceremony of IVA Thrissurdistrict unit for 2016, was held at the IVA buildingThrissur on 23rd January 2016. Dr. K D Paul, DistrictPresident Dr. Jyothy Sreedharan, District Secretaryand Dr. Dis P P, District Treasurer were sworn in. Theoath of administration to all the office bearers wasdelivered by Dr. Basheer, District Animal HusbandryOfficer of Thrissur . A class on daily office routineswas handled by Dr. U S Ramachandran, DeputyDirector(Animal Husbandry) of Thrissur.

ERNAKULAMInstallation ceremony of IVA Ernakulam unit

was held on 26th Jnauary 2016. The district officebearers of IVA Ekm unit, Dr Abdul Samad President,Dr Clare R.cecil Secretary, Dr R Saira Treasurer, andDr Eldose A, Dr Lovely Zachriah and Dr Kishore JState Committee members assumed office . A CVEprogram on Avian Diseases and Pet bird managementwas conducted on the same day at LMTC Aluva. Thesession was handled by Dr. P K. Shihabudeen fromKozhikode. The CVE program was conducted withthe support of Kerala state veterinary Council.

COVAS OFFICE BEARERS OF IVA, KERALAFOR THE YEAR 2016

COVAS,Mannuthy

COVAS,Pookot

Name of PresidentWith email/mob:

Dr. P. C. Alexalexpchandy@gmail.com9446381785

Dr. Subin Mohansubinkmohan@gmail.com9895900936

Name of SecretaryWith email/mob:

Dr. Sankaralingam. Sdrsankaralingams@gmail.com9447688783Dr. Abdul Muneerabdul.muneer@kvasu.ac.in9495649730

Name of TreasurerWith email/mob:

Dr. Manju Sasidharanmanjugeevi@gmail.com9446422328

Dr. Deepa. C. Kdr.deepapravi@yahoo.com9495928947

WAYANAD

INSTALLATION CEREMONY, IVA, POOKODE UNIT

Installation of the office bearers of IndianVeterinary Association, Pookode Unit for the year2016 was held at Periyar Hall, COVAS, Pookode on04/02/2016. Dr. Bindya Liz Abraham, the outgoingPresident, delivered the welcome speech and sheadministered the oath of the office to all the newlyelected office bearers.Dr.Subin.K.Mohan, President,Dr.K.Abdul Muneer, Secretary, Dr.Deepa.C.KTreasurer were sworn in the respective offices.Thefunction was inaugurated by Dr. S.K PrabhakaranPillai, President, IVA, Wayanad Unit. In the inauguralspeech he stressed the importance of combined effortsof Pookode & Wayanad units. Dr. K. Vijayakumar,Dean, COVAS, Pookode addressed the gathering &suggested the need of a newsletter in Malayalam forfarmers. Dr. Abdul Muneer K, Secretary, reported theaction plan of IVA Pookode Unit 2016.Dr. N.Divakaran Nair, Dr. Senthil Murugan, Dr. Suja Rani,Dr. Yamuna & Dr. John Abraham offered felicitations.Dr.Deepa.C.K, Treasurer conveyed vote of thanks.

WORLD SPAY DAY CELEBRATIONS 2016

23/02/2016, at TVCC complex, CV&AS Pookode. Dr.Abdul Muneer K., Secretary IVA, welcomed thegathering. Dr. Subin K.Mohan, President IVA,delivered presidential address. Vythiri GramaPanchayath President, Smt. Ushakumari inauguratedthe function. Dr. K. Vijayakumar delivered the keynote speech. Mr Stanley, Secretary, SPCA, Wayanad,Dr. Bindya Liz Abraham, Dr Syam K. Venugopal andDr. Usha Narayana Pillai offered felicitations. Dr.Hamza Palakkodan, Programme officer, NSS,COVAS, Pookode Unit conveyed vote of thanks.Sixteen stray dogs inside the campus of PookodeVeterinary College were caught and subjected toanimal birth control measures in association withdepartment of surgery and radiology. The surgeryteam headed by Dr.Sooryadas.S and Dr.Dinesh.P.T.Dr,Sarath, Dr.Pramod, Dr. Binu, Dr. Kamalesh, and NSSvolunteers of Pookode unit were actively participatedin the programme.

Indian VeterinaryAssociation, PookodeUnit, celebrated WorldSpay Day, 2016. Theformal inaugurationof the celebrationswas conducted on

5The third phase of our strike for justice which lasted from 22/02/2016 to 02/03/2016 proved that together

we can. The strike period witnessed unprecedented unity among the vets across the state. Leaders travelledextensively to address striking vets in all the districts, social media was put to good use to motivate each other,individual vets used all possible connections to rope in extensive media coverage and bring leaders to addressour grievances. The role of senior vets was instrumental in motivating their siblings in times of need. Specialappreciation and thanks to lady vets whose participation in the strike in all the districts was phenomenal. IVANewsletter takes a tour through the lens across the strike venues. More photos on page 12

6

World Spay day commemorated

Kottayam delivered the keynote speech.Seminar was handled by Dr Kishore Kumar K J,Veterinary Surgeon , ABCD Kochi. The message ofwaste management, responsible dog ownership andABC surgery and anti rabies campaign were dealt indetail. 125 student delegates of Dept of Bio Sciences ,MG University were involved in the discussion alongwith officers from Animal Husbandry Dept.

Indian Veterinary Association, Keralacommemorated World Spay day on 18th February atSchool of Biosciences, MG University Campus byconducting a seminar on “Social Responsibility inAnimal Birth Control”. Hon’ble Vice Chancellor Dr.Babu Sebastian inaugurated the function. He stressedthe importance of involvement of youth in thismovement to control the stray dog population byresponsible dog ownership. He applauded the effortsof Indian Veterinary Association, Kerala in taking aninitiative in this direction. Dr V Chandramohan Nair,President, Indian Veterinary Association, Kerala in hispresidential address stressed the importance of wastemanagement which has to be taken up by our localbodies as part of this social responsibility . Dr V.Gopakumar , District Animal Husbandry Officer,

SIGN POSTSHINE SHINES!!!!!

Dr. Shine Kumar bagged the Devasom Mahalekshmi Award for BestElectronic Media Journalist. He was selected by a committee headed by JusticeSri. Sreedevi. The committee considered his contributions in the KissanKrishideepom program in Asianet as Director, which has already passed 500episodes, anchor of Haritham Sundaram in Kaumadi Channel, anchor of KrishiDarshan Live program in Doordarshan. The award was presented in a functionin Thriuvananthapuram by Mr. Biju Prabhakar, IAS, District Collector.Dr. Shine Kumar is presently working as Assistant Director and Public RelationOfficer in Department of Animal Husbandry. Congrats Dr. Shine

Mr Vineeth P K, s/o Dr T K Kaladharan, JD(Rtd),AHD, and Smt K P GeethaDD of Education dept(Retd), Cherthala, Alappuzha got appointed as the DeputyCollector Ernakulam through the Kerala Civil Service. Congrats Mr. Vineeth P.K.

STATE LEVEL ACTIVITIES

Supported KGVOA in the strike held in February 2016 in all the three phase.s All district andstate level leaders addressed the dharna.

Dr. Sai Prasad General Secretary, IVA Kerala participated in the General Body Meeting ofPathanamthitta district

Dr. Sangeetha Narayanan, Vice President, IVA Kerala participated in the General Body Meetingof Ernakulam district

7

Interview with Dr. Swapna Susan Abraham, Disease Investigation Officer, KeralaRabies and its control has been the talking point across the state in the context of implementation of Rabies Free Kerala Vaccination Campaign.

Although awareness level of veterinarians in different aspects of rabies is always rated as good, Dr. Julie. B, Associate Editor talks to Dr. Swapna SusanAbraham who has been working on Rabies for over 20 years has many path breaking findings on her credit, for getting more clarity on various aspectsrelated to rabies. Here are experts of the interview with Dr. Swapna Susan Abraham.

Q. How common is Rabies in Kerala?As in any part of the main land of our country, Canine Rabies is

endemic in Kerala too. Approximately 10-15 people die due to rabies everyyear. Though it constitutes only 0.1% of national rate, considering theliteracy level and size of the state, it is an alarming figure. There is noauthentic data of animal rabies as most cases are disposed at field and notreported. During 2014-15, 100 cases of rabies death in ruminants arereported from field and laboratories. Rabies incidence in livestock is higherthan Anthrax, HS or BQ!! It is ranked 2nd in terms of death rate and 3rd interms of incidence among the top ten livestock diseases last year. It is our(Veterinarians) responsibility to report rabies and create data base.Q. What do you think are the animal reservoirs in Kerala ?

Canines (Stray/Wild/Domestic) are the main animal reservoirs inour place and they maintain the cycle of transmission. Mongoose has beenidentified as a potent additional threat in Kerala. Majority of human anddomestic/pet animal cases can be traced back to stray dogs.Q. How long does it take for dogs and cats to develop rabies, andhow long does a rabid animal survive?

Incubation period is highly variable in animals. It may be as shortas 5 days or as long as a year. Average IP in dogs and cats is 2-8 wks. Ingeneral, majority (75%) of animals will develop rabies within 3 months andthe rest (25%) in another 3 months, after exposure. Hence 6 months is areasonable quarantine period that can be adopted for general purpose.Clinical course is also variable and is generally shorter in dogs & cats. Itmay not cross 5-7 days.Q. How is rabies diagnosed? What are the facilities available in ourState?

Direct Fluorescent Antibody Test (DFAT) is the gold standard testfor routine post mortem diagnosis of rabies. Three laboratories of AnimalHusbandry Department (CDIO, Palode; RDDL, Thiruvalla; District ClinicalLab, Kollam) have this facility for confirming rabies. Two Veterinary Collegesalso offer diagnostic service to public. At CDIO, Palode a battery of tests(FAT, Negribody detection, Lateral flow test, PCR, Immunohistochemistry)are being used for diagnosing rabies.

Majority of human cases are diagnosed clinically using theadvantages of pathognomonic signs in human rabies. Laboratory diagnosisin humans is mostly based on ante mortem samples (corneal smears/cornealswabs/saliva/CSF) and molecular tests are more valuable as the antigenmass in ante mortem samples will be low. CDIO is often approached bymedical practitioners of government & private medical colleges, governmenthospitals and research centres in the state for confirming/ruling out humanrabies in atypical cases.Q. How should the samples be sent to laboratories for rabiesdiagnosis?

Rabies virus is very fragile & thermo labile. Sensitivity of alllaboratory tests decreases with advancement of autolysis. Brain is the mostideal sample for diagnosing rabies. However, opening the skull in field byuntrained and unimmunized persons is risky. Hence the whole carcass(small animals) and head (large animals) should reach laboratories asearly as possible. Use of ice packs/gel packs is advised.

For intra vitam diagnosis (Saliva, Corneal swab, Corneal smear,CSF etc), special attention should be given to bring the samples to laboratorieswithout delay after collection as RNA viruses easily get lost during transport.Commercially available RNA preservatives (RNA later/Trizol) may be used,if available. Corneal smears may be dried, fixed in chilled acetone for 30 mtsand then transported. It is better to inform the lab in advance about thearrival of ante mortem samples.Q. Will rabies get transmitted from ruminants? Is treatmentnecessary if milk or meat of an infected animal is consumed?

Human rabies acquired from ruminants has not been documentedmuch. Ruminants do not bite when they are rabid. However, precautionsshould be taken while examining sick animals that are salivating. Treatmentis advisable in case of wound or mucous membrane (ocular) contaminationwith saliva, as saliva of rabid ruminants is found contain virus at a very highconcentration. The fact that virus passage in a species in which they are notadapted make them less virulent could be another reason for the scantyreports of transmission from ruminants.

Rabies virus is thermolabile. Boiling or even heating will inactivatethe virus. Virus gets inactivated in the acidity of stomach, if it all it reaches thestomach. Virus excretion in milk is possible but concentration may be verylow. There are no evidence based reports of human rabies occurring dueto consumption of milk. Hence this need not be a matter of great concern.However, in case of raw milk consumption from rabid animal treatment ispracticed as it is classified under mucous membrane exposure (oral mucosa).Individuals who slaughter rabid animals and handle brain or other infectedmaterials may be at risk. Animals which consume infected raw meat are alsoat risk.Q. Will rabies get transmitted from human to human ?

The risk of rabies transmission to other humans from a rabidhuman is very minimal and there has never been a well documented caseof human to human transmission, other than a few cases resulting fromorgan transplant. However, people who have been exposed closely to thesecretions of a patient with rabies are usually offered post exposureprophylaxis (PEP) as a precautionary measure.Q. Is simply observing the biting dog or cat for 10 days withoutstarting treatment justified?

No. In an endemic place like India, it is a risky practice. Insteadinitiate treatment immediately on exposure, observe the animal (if available)and later modify/terminate the treatment if the animal involved remains healthythroughout the observation period. Remember, 10 days observation protocolis applicable only in the case of dogs & cats. Little or nothing is known abouthow early communicability starts in other species, including humans.Q. Do I/ my pet have to take post exposure vaccination againstrabies if a vaccinated dog bites him?

Although unvaccinated animals are more likely to transmit rabies,immune status of a vaccinated dog cannot be guaranteed. Animal vaccinationfailure can due to many reasons and one can’t expect long lasting protectionin all animals vaccinated with a single shot. Case by case analysis is necessaryfor decision making.

CLINICIAN’S CORNER

8Q. Do rat bite requires routine post bite therapy?

Bites by domestic rats, mice, squirrel, hares or rabbits seldomrequire post bite therapy as their role in the transmission of rabies have notbeen proven. However, it is prudent to take treatment if exposure occurredfrom wild rodents.Q. Do bat exposure requires post exposure therapy?

Bat rabies has not been conclusively proved in India and hencedoes not warrant rabies treatment.Q. If post exposure vaccination is necessary even for a routinelyvaccinated dog, what is the necessity of preventive rabiesvaccination in pets? Is it not a waste of money, time & resources?

Prophylactic vaccination leads to added protection by inducingmemory cells causing accelerated immune response on booster dosesincreasing the success rate of post exposure treatment. Post exposurevaccination can’t guaranty success if the animal is not primed. There is noapproved treatment regimen for animals exposed to rabies; even the vaccinealone is not proven to completely prevent rabies once the exposure hasoccurred. Moreover prophylactic vaccination of reservoir species (caninesin our place) & developing herd immunity is the back bone of any rabiescontrol program without which rabies control is not unimaginable.Q. If there is no recommended protocol for post exposure treatmentin animals, is it not culling of exposed animals a more viable option?

Culling/euthanasia of potentially exposed animals is not a practicaloption in rabies endemic developing countries due to economic reasons.Moreover, animal rights are stronger than human rights in our country. Asprofessionals designated to save animals, why don’t we try if there is achance? Q. Do livestock requires prophylactic vaccination?

It is recommended that all valuable animals in endemic areas bevaccinated against rabies. However, if we are able to control rabies in thereservoir group (canines in our place), automatically, rabies incidence inother animals in the region will come down. If optional vaccination is practicedin other species, remember to use vaccines which are recommended for thespecies in question and on the recommended dosage (Refer label/instructionsof manufacturers). Some internationally approved vaccines recommend 2ml instead of 1ml for Cattle & Horses.Q. Do vaccinated animals act as carries? Is there carrier status indogs?

All parental vaccines used in animals are inactivated (killed)vaccines. Hence carrier state arising from vaccination is not possible. Carrierstate in experimental infections has been proven. But, epidemiologically, itneed not be given any importance.Q. Is RIG (Rabies Immunoglobulin ) therapy be tried in animals?

There are no authentic study reports about the efficacy of RIGtherapy in animals. Affordability and availability are other limiting factors. Buttheoretically, it should work. Equine Immunoglobulin (EIG) at the same doseas recommended for human (40IU/kg, max. 3000 IU/animal) can be tried insmall animals for local wound infiltration. Why don’t we try, if there is achance?Q. Can exposure be classified and treated based on provoked orunprovoked bites?

Categorization based on provoked and unprovoked bite isapplicable in countries where rabies is eradicated/well controlled. In a highlyendemic place like ours, all bites should be considered as rabies exposure

and treatment initiated immediately on reporting. It may be difficult tounderstand what a dog considers provocation for an attack. If animal isavailable for observation, treatment can be discontinued if the animal isclinically normal after the observation period. Case by case analysis anddecision making often becomes necessary.Q. Is there possibility of antibody neutralization if the alreadyvaccinated animal is revaccinated ?

A transient dip is possible if the animal is revaccinated at the peakof immunity. But this should not be given undue importance as the rapidanamnestic immune response to booster dose will quickly overcome resultingin a prompt, adequate and protective titer.Q. Is anti -rabies antibody checking a viable option in decisionmaking? Is there facility in Kerala for checking titre in animals andhumans?

The threshold protective titer in different species of animals is notwell established. WHO recommended RVNA (Rabies Virus Neutralizingantibody) titer of e” 0.5IU/ml is considered as an adequate response tovaccination. To define and to measure protection from rabies is notstraightforward as it appears. RVNA level should be considered as a marker,not the sum of protection. Under no circumstances, antibody level of thebitten/biting animal should be taken as a criterion for making post exposuremanagement decision.

Rabies Laboratory attached to Chief Disease Investigation Office,Palode has the facility to check antibody titre in pets (dogs & cats) by IndirectELISA. OIE approved kits are being used. In case of humans, as WHOapproved virus neutralization tests (RFFIT, FAVN, MNT ) requires high biocontainment and bio safety levels. Hence only very few laboratories in Indiaoffer this facility for general purpose. There are no laboratories in Keralaoffering these test facility.Q. Can rabies vaccination be done in dogs who are sick, in poorhealth status, or during time of disease outbreaks ?

For an adequate immune response in any vaccination, animalsshould be healthy & stress free. However, if the situation (time of boostervaccination, enrolling in mass vaccination campaign, rabies outbreak innearby area etc) warrants vaccination in poor, unhealthy & sick animals,practical option is to administer one booster dose after a month for overcomingany inadequacy in immune response arised due to above mentioned factors.Q. What are the types of anti-rabies vaccines available? Which allvaccines are available in our country?

All parental rabies vaccines available today for humans andanimals are inactivated cell culture/embryonated type. DCGI maintains a listof approved human vaccines for intramuscular and/or indra dermal usewhich can only be marketed and most of them are freeze dried which ismore tolerant of vagaries of temperature. A number of licensed vaccines(national/international) for animal vaccination are available in the market;most of them are liquid type. Q. What is the recommended potency of rabies vaccine ? Doesvaccine give protection against all virus strains?

Inactivated Vaccines used for humans should have potency ofe”2.5IU/IM dose. Recommended potency of veterinary parental vaccine ise”1 IU/dose. However, for post exposure anti rabies therapy, high potency(e”2.5IU/dose) is desirable in veterinary practice also. Vaccine gives protectionagainst all rabies virus variants (Classical Rabies Virus- Phylogroup I).Only Classical Rabies Virus (Genotype 1) is prevalent in India and Asiancountries.

9baits. Days are not far away, instead of catching stray dogs for vaccination,baits and biscuits are distributed for rabies control in stray dogs.Q. How do oral vaccines induce immunity ? Will it not get inactivatedin the stomach?

For eliciting efficient immunity, contact with oral mucous membrane& mucosal associated lymphoid tissue is essential so that the vaccine entersblood stream to produce humoral immune response. Bait must be hardenough to damage oral mucous membrane on chewing. Baits/capsuleswhich are swallowed are less likely to produce sufficient immunity as thevaccine may be inactivated in the stomach.Q. There was a media report that the CDIO had reported a case ofnatural rabies infection in a fowl. What message does it convey tothe vets?

It was an interesting case stumbled across by the institute. Weshould remember that all warm blooded animals are susceptible to rabies,though rabies in nature is a disease of mammals. Experimental infection isproven in birds. Chance of getting bitten by rabid animal is limited in flyingbirds. Though dog bite is not rare in birds that do not fly, they usuallysuccumb to death due to shock of bite or wound complications. So thechance of developing rabies is rare. The message is that “Spill over ofinfection even to unnatural host is possible in highly endemic areas”. Sokeep your eyes opened!!Q. What are the provisions for Rabies free status?

A country is considered free from rabies if the disease is notifiable,effective surveillance system is in operation, all regulatory measures forprevention and control have been implemented including importationprocedures, no case of indigenously acquired rabies infection hasbeen confirmed in man or animals during the past two years and noimported case in carnivores has been confirmed outside a quarantine stationfor the past 6 months.Q. In your opinion is it possible to make Kerala a Rabies FreeState?

Eradication of rabies/acquiring official free status in the near futureis a wild dream. Deep rooted endemicity, existence of large variety ofreservoirs including wild animals, complexity of the disease, poor resources,and free animal movement across the border and lack of political will are thelimiting factors. It is not realistic to believe that social issues like stray dogmenace and garbage problem can be solved immediately considering ourpopulation density and welfare rules. At the same time, we should rememberthat many countries achieved free status or brought the disease undercontrol through systematic approach. Kerala has many advantageous factorslike high literacy rate, small size and nature protected geographicalboundaries. Perfection is an illusion in the matter of disease control.Initiate with available and appropriate tools instead of waiting forperfect solutions.Because the epidemiology and pathogenesis of rabies are complex, theseanswers may not be specific on every possible circumstance. Cliniciansshould seek assistance from experts for case by case evaluation in situationsthat are not routine.

Q. Is switch over from one brand/type of vaccine to another duringa course of treatment allowed?

Shifting from one brand to another or changing route ofadministration is not advisable. However, under unavoidable circumstancesavailable brand/type may be used to complete treatment course.

Q. Are there any adverse effects of rabies vaccination?Cell Culture Vaccines available in the market today are least

reactogenic. Mild adverse effects (local or general) may occur rarely.Remember, priority is for preventing rabies, a 100% fatal disease. Hencethere is no room for concern about mild reactions which are manageable bysymptomatic treatment.

Q. Do I have to seek treatment if I accidentally prick my hand withvaccine needle ?

As it is a killed vaccine, no rabies treatment is necessary.

Q. What is the vaccination schedule to be taken by vets who are athigh risk of getting the disease?

Pre exposure vaccination schedule as per WHO protocol is 0, 7,21 or 28. Boosters are necessary only when antibody titre goes below 0.5IU/ml. If facility is not available for titer checking, boosters may be takenevery 1-3 years after assessing risk level. Such individuals even on gettingexposed to rabies require only 2 doses (0 & 3) as post exposure therapy.Immunoglobulin administration is not necessary. But I advise to follow theregimen prescribed by local/state health authorities for your pre exposure/post exposure treatment.

Q. What are the possibilities of rabies vaccination failure?Vaccine failures in animals may occur due to many factors like

improper administration, poor quality of vaccines, poor health status etc.High susceptibility, short incubation period, delayed reporting, lack of qualitycontrol/approval agencies for vaccine testing, ironical approach to treatment,vaccination protocols and vaccine potency as against human counterpartare other contributing factors.

Vaccine failures in humans are always linked to delay in initiation,non compliance to regimen, incomplete vaccination, non availability ofimmunoglobulin etc. A few documented failures in other cases were inexposure from wild animals like jackal and other wild canines on high riskparts of the body.

Q. Instead of vaccinating stray dogs, can’t we go for oralvaccination?

Oral rabies vaccines have been in use in many countries fordecades to control wild life rabies. Study reports and laboratory trials, eventhose from our country, show promising results and found the vaccine to beeffective and safe. However, being a modified live vaccine or recombinantvaccine, safety in non target species is a concern. This is especially importantin a country like India where close association with between humans anddogs exist which increases likelihood of direct exposure of humans to vaccine

10CONGO FEVER, AN EMERGING ZOONOTIC THREAT IN INDIA

brain. Hepatitis occurs in some patients, andmay result in jaundice and hepatomegaly.Spleenomegaly can also be seen. Some patientsdie from hemorrhages, hemorrhagic pneumoniaor cardiovascular disturbances. In patients whosurvive, recovery begins 10 to 20 days after the onsetof illness. The convalescent phase is characterizedby generalized weakness, a weak pulse andtachycardia. Disease diagnosed by RT-PCR on bloodsamples. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever canalso be diagnosed by serology. Tests detect CCHFV-specific IgM, or a rise in IgG titers in paired acute andconvalescent sera. IgG and IgM can usually befound with indirect immunofluorescence or ELISAafter 7-9 days of illness.

Prevention and control:

Measures to avoid tick bites include tickrepellents, environmental modification, (brushremoval, insecticides), avoidance of tick habitat andregular examination of clothing and skin for ticks.Acaricides can be used on livestock and otherdomesticated animals to control ticks, particularlybefore slaughter or export. Protective clothing andgloves should be worn whenever skin or mucousmembranes could be exposed to viremic animals,particularly when blood and tissues are handled.Unpasteurized milk should not be drunk. In meat,CCHFV is usually inactivated by post-slaughteracidification. It is also killed by cooking. Strictuniversal precautions are necessary when caring forhuman patients. These recommendations includebarrier nursing, isolation and the use of gloves, gowns,face-shields and goggles with side shields. No FDAapproved vaccines available although some countrieslike Bulgaria is using locally made vaccines. Treatmentis only symptomatic and supportive.

ARTICLES INVITED FOR JIVAWith immense pleasure, we would like to

inform you that a new editorial board has beenconstituted for the Journal of Indian VeterinaryAssociation (JIVA). Now the editorial board invitesfull length research papers, review articles, generalarticles, clinical articles and short communicationsfrom all fields of Veterinary and Animal Sciencesfor publication in the next issue of JIVA. Please visitww.ivakerala.com for details of submission ofarticles and guidelines to the authors

A 40-year-old man from Shivrajgadh village,Rajkot, Gujarat has died in February first week dueto Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF).Earlier on October 20, 2015, a two-year-old boy, HarshGopiyani, had died of Congo fever in Jamnagar. Firstconfirmed case was reported in 2011 in Gujarat latercases have been reported in Rajasthan. Many studiespoint out prevalence of antibodies against Congo feveramong livestock in India. This virus is a memberof the genus Nairovirus in the family Bunyaviridae.It belongs to the CCHF serogroup. It is a widespreadtick-borne viral disease that is endemic in Africa, theBalkans, the Middle East and Asia. It is a zoonoticdisease carried by several domestic and wild animals.While clinical disease is rare in infected animals, it issevere in infected humans, with a mortality rate of10-40%. Outbreaks of illness are usually attributableto Hyalomma tick bites or contact with infectedanimals or people. Both medical and AnimalHusbandry teams are camping in the village. Thisvirus has been found in at least 31 species ofticks. Many species of mammals can transmitCCHFV to ticks when they are viremic. Smallvertebrates such as hares and hedgehogs, whichare infested by immature ticks, may be particularlyimportant as amplifying hosts. Humans becomeinfected through the skin and by ingestion.Human-to-human transmission occurs, particularlywhen skin or mucous membranes are exposed toblood during hemorrhages or tissues during surgery.Symptoms in Man include sudden onset of fever andother nonspecific symptoms including chills, severeheadache, dizziness, photophobia, neck pain, myalgiaand arthralgia. The fever may be very high.Gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea,vomiting, non-bloody diarrhea and abdominal painare also common. Sharp mood changes, confusionand aggression have been reported in some cases.Cardiovascular changes such as bradycardia and lowblood pressure can also occur. This early stage ofdisease is called the pre hemorrhagic phase. It isfollowed, after several days, by the hemorrhagic phase.The hemorrhagic phase develops suddenly. It is usuallyshort, lasting on average 2 to 3 days. A petechial rashmay be the first symptom. The rash is followed bypetechiae, ecchymoses and large bruises on theskin and mucous membranes. Hematemesis,melena, epistaxis, hematuria, hemoptysis andbleeding from venipuncture sites are also common.Bleeding can occur in other locations, including the

11Abstract of Complete Pay Parity amongst Veterinarians and

Medical Doctors Judgement of Honourable High court of Delhi(W.P.(C) 2780/2011) pronounced on 14th October 2014

Courtesy : Prof (Dr.) V. Ramakumar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI , W.P.(C)2780/2011 Sahukar Vs Union of India Pronouncedon: 14.10.2014 Hon’ble HON’BLE Mr. Justice S.Ravindra Bhat and Justice Vipin Sanghi ruled that “In the present case, there is no reason at all to say thatveterinarians are different from other classes of medicaland dental practitioners- for the purpose of denying theDACP benefit- when they are treated at par with thosecategories in the matter of pay scales, allowances, specialperks like Non-Practising Allowance, etc. Consequently,it is held that the respondents acted in a discriminatorymanner in refusing to extend the DACP to the petitionersand other veterinarians. The impugned orders of the CATare accordingly set aside; a direction is issued to therespondents to ensure that the DACP is granted toVeterinary Officers on the basis of the CPC’srecommendations’ implementation to GDMOs andDental Doctors from the date the latter category (DentalDoctors) were given that benefit.”

BOTH PAY COMMISSIONS AFOREMENTIONEDWERE HEADED BY RETIRED JUDGES WHOEXPLAINED THE REASON FOR THE PARITY IN CLEARTERMS. ONE IS AT A LOSS TO UNDERSTAND HOWPAY COMMISSION APPOINTED BY GOVT. OFKERALA, AGAIN HEADED BY A FORMER JUDGEDECIDED TO TAKE A DECISION THAT VIRTUALLYDECIDED AGAINST PARITY. NO RELEVANT REASONHAD BEEN ASSIGNED TO JUSTIFY THECONTRAVENTION.

Giving a pay is the prerogative of the state govt.But to decide against parity when it has already beenestablished can be done only if the judge has sufficientstatutory powers to do so; that too after explainingthe reason for that consideration (against thecontention of another judge who justified it point bypoint).

The recommendation of the Fifth and sixthCentral pay Commission (CPC) in Paragraph 55.291reads: and a court decision

“On the question of upgrading the VeterinaryOfficers uniformly and bringing them at par withmedical doctors, we observe that a degree inVeterinary Science is comparable to an MBBS degreeand holders of those degrees in both cases areregistered and authorised to practice medicine,authenticate health certificates and give evidence asexperts under the Indian Evidence Act. We also feelthat there is no apparent reason to keep one of thetwo categories in a lower status. We, therefore,recommend that posts requiring a degree of B.V.Sc &AH with registration in the Veterinary Council of Indiaas the minimum essential qualification may be placedin a common entry grade corresponding to theexisting entry scale applicable to General DutyMedical Officers and Dental Doctors under theGovernment of India. Veterinarians should havecomplete parity with Dental and General DutyMedical Officers as given in Annexure 55.9 in termsof pay scales and career prospects. In the matter ofNPA, there is a small difference in the slabs over whicha rate is applicable, resulting in Veterinary Officersgetting lower NPA at some stages of the basic pay. Inview of the suggested parity, educational and practicerequirements and the need to be available even outsideduty hours for domestic and farm animal health care.We recommend that Veterinary Officers should alsobe paid a Non-practising allowance at the rate of 25%of their basic pay as has been recommended formedical doctors.

Sixth CPC affirmed the continuation of thecomplete parity principle with respect to VeterinaryOfficers (in paragraph 3.8.25,)

Printed and Published by Dr. S. Sai Prasad, General Secretary, IVA, Kerala.Printed at devi offset printers, Tvm, Ph : 0471 - 2574205. For Circulation among Members only

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