Tackling Neglected Tropical Diseases in Neglected Domestic Animals Through a One Health Approach: Example of Using Synergies Between Guinea Worm Eradication and Rabies Elimination Efforts

In Africa, dogs and cats often live in close proximity to humans but are neglected in terms of healthcare and nutritional support due to poverty of their owners. Furthermore, they are not a priority of the veterinary sector. This case report demonstrates the benefit of utilizing a “One Health” approach to accelerate surveillance and control of zoonotic diseases of dogs and cats in Chad by looking at the example of rabies and guinea worm. Building on decades of separate activities to survey and control both diseases, the Institut de Recherche en Elevage pour le Développement (IRED) of the Ministry of Livestock and the national Guinea Worm Eradication Program of Chad (GWEP-TD) of the Ministry of Public Health started to collaborate in 2022. This partnership is based on a rabies research project implemented in Moyen Chari province and uses synergies between guinea worm and rabies surveillance activities. The rabies project provided training and infrastructural support and established rapid rabies diagnosis in the study province. Reporting of suspect animal cases is supported by the guinea worm surveillance network. In the first 18 months of the project, 68 suspect animas were reported, the majority of them by the GWEP-TD surveillance system (65%) and the others directly from their owners. In total 34 samples were collected and 31 of them were tested positive for rabies, among them 25 (80%) from tethered animals, 23 dogs and 2 cats. The results demonstrate the potential of combined efforts to combat both guinea worm and rabies in Chad. Information © The Authors 2025