With WHO support, Ukraine will switch to rabies diagnostics in animals using PCR tests
Kyiv • UNN
By the end of the year, Ukraine, with the support of the WHO, will introduce PCR diagnostics of rabies in animals to ensure faster diagnosis and timely treatment of people who have come into contact with infected animals.
Ukraine, with the support of the WHO, is working to introduce a PCR method for faster diagnosis of rabies in animals. It is planned to introduce this diagnosis by the end of the year. This was announced by the head of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection Serhiy Tkachuk during a briefing on Tuesday, the correspondent of UNN reports.
Details
According to the head of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection, it is very important to establish rabies in an animal, as this affects the availability and speed of response of the health care system to treat people who have been in contact with a sick animal. The usual methodology for diagnosis using mice takes over a month, but there are other, faster methods.
We are now working with the support of the World Health Organization and other international partners to switch to the diagnosis of rabies in animals using the PCR method in our laboratories. This will allow us to get results faster and establish the level of risk so that the health care system, whether it is a center or a family doctor, can apply the appropriate treatment procedure
He notes that this is very important, although it is a long process, but they are already working on it and have a plan to introduce rabies diagnostics using PCR tests in Ukrainian laboratories by the end of the year.
Recall
If you are bitten by a stray animal, you should immediately seek medical attention, as most rabies-related fatalities occur due to delayed medical attention or the belief that a healthy-looking animal is not a threat.
