I Like to Move It, Move It: Population Dynamics of Malagasy Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) and Implications for Rabies Control in Madagascar

Abstract

Rabies is a neglected tropical disease that persists endemically in many African and Asian countries, despite the availability of pre- and post-exposure prophylactics. Many studies cite a lack of knowledge regarding dog (Canis lupus familiaris) ecology as a reason for poor control efforts in these areas. The purpose of this study was to add to the existing knowledge of dog ecology in Madagascar in order to aid rabies control efforts. Through genetic analysis of population structure and ancestry of dogs sampled in the central region of Madagascar, we have shown that the population of dogs on the island is unstructured, suggesting that there is a great deal of movement of dogs around the island. This, in turn, leads us to recommend a whole-country vaccination campaign rather than one targeted at regions on the island. Future research should be directed at acquiring a larger dataset from Madagascar to further explore the population structure and create a quantitative recommendation for the vaccination coverage needed to eliminate rabies on the island.