title: [Wildlife veterinarians rabies vaccination in Chile: a survey].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rabies is a lethal but preventable disease. Knowing the extent of immunization coverage among at risk populations, may help to guide immunization efforts, as well as increase the effectiveness of rabies control and prevention programs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the proportion of wildlife veterinarians in Chile, as part of a group at risk of rabies transmission.
  
  
  METHODS
  An electronic survey was sent to wildlife veterinarians in Chile.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that veterinarians in Chile work mainly with carnivores and deer compared to other mammals (p < 0.001), rarely works with bats (p = 0.6572). Most of the participants had been bitten by domestic animals, while a lesser proportion (29%) by wild animals. Most of the participants never received rabies vaccination (53%), while within the group that had started a rabies vaccination scheme, a substantial proportion (39%) did not complete it.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Identify the vaccination status of risk groups is important for infectious disease control and prevention programs, as this information helps to identify priority groups during outbreaks or vaccine scarcity. Wildlife veterinarians in Chile are at risk of rabies transmission and should be included in rabies prevention programs, especially considering their vulnerability and lack of biosafety practices. Increasing education in rabies epidemiology and prevention is urgently needed in veterinary faculties in Chile.
authors.forename: Luis E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Escobar
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Yung
authors.forename: Renzo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vargas-Rodríguez
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Medina-Vogel
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Favi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D002677:Chile; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011818:Rabies / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011819:Rabies Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018634:Veterinarians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D011819:Rabies Vaccines