A narrative review of rabies control strategies in wild carnivores across sub-Saharan Africa

Rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease responsible for approximately 59,000 human deaths each year, significant livestock losses, and mortality in endangered wildlife populations. Jackals (Lupulella adusta and Lupulella mesomelas), bat-eared foxes (Otocyon megalotis) and mongooses (Cynictis penicillata and Herpestes sanguineus) have been identified as potential maintenance hosts in sub-Saharan Africa. This review aims to identify the most effective control (considering preventive measures, population control, and vaccination) and disease surveillance strategies to provide a guide for the implementation of rabies control plans across the region. A narrative review was conducted to find relevant peer-reviewed articles surrounding rabies control strategies within wild carnivores across the globe and specifically within sub-Saharan Africa. Overall, we conclude that a multifactorial control strategy is needed. The evidence suggests that a combination of preventive measures and point infection control with concurrent vaccination will be required to control initial rabies outbreaks, followed by mass oral vaccination of wild carnivores, parenteral vaccination (routes other than oral, such as intramuscular and subcutaneous injection) of endangered populations and optimisation of mass dog vaccination campaigns to enable long-term rabies control. These will need to be informed by data collected through strong surveillance networks. Our review yielded few existing studies and reports of control strategy implementation focused on sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, controlling rabies within wild carnivores across sub-Saharan Africa will require considerable research, resources, effective and integrated surveillance systems, and interdisciplinary collaboration to develop and implement control strategies at a local and regional scale.