Improving dog vaccinations to prevent rabies in Africa
Official title: Improving dog vaccinations: a development and feasibility study to pave the way for effective, synchronized dog vaccination campaigns in Africa
Funded at Ifakara Health Institute · NIH-10983847 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking to improve dog vaccination efforts in Africa to help prevent rabies, which sadly causes many deaths each year, by trying out new ways to get dog owners involved in vaccination campaigns, just like successful programs in Latin America.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ifakara Health Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania U Rep) |
| Project start | September 19, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $93,127 |
| NIH project number | 1K43TW012582-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10983847 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include dog owners in Africa, particularly in regions with high rabies incidence.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not own dogs or live in areas with low rabies risk may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to enhance dog vaccination efforts in Africa to combat rabies, a disease that causes approximately 59,000 human deaths annually. The study will explore synchronized vaccination campaigns, inspired by successful models in Latin America, to improve participation among dog owners. By combining media outreach with coordinated vaccination efforts, the research seeks to achieve the critical 70% vaccination coverage needed to effectively prevent rabies transmission to humans. The implementation trial will assess the feasibility and effectiveness of this approach across various communities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce the incidence of rabies in both dogs and humans, ultimately saving lives.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research in Latin America has shown that synchronized vaccination campaigns can effectively increase vaccination coverage and reduce rabies incidence.
Where this research is happening
-
Ifakara Health Institute
Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania U Rep Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Maganga, Sambo — Ifakara Health Institute
- Study coordinator: Maganga, Sambo
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Protective dengue vaccines that steer T and B cell responses
A vaccine study aims to guide the body’s T and B cells to fight all four dengue virus types safely and effectively.
-
Respiratory pathogen–specific T cell signatures after vaccination, infection, and treatment
A research effort to map how immune T cells respond to respiratory infections and vaccines, with potential to guide better vaccines and treatments for conditions like covid-19 and pertussis.
-
Malaria vaccine and infection: how the body’s early and later immune responses relate to protection
Researchers are studying how people’s immune systems respond to the malaria pre-erythrocytic stage, whether after vaccination or infection, to identify which responses are linked to protection.
-
Spatially responsive mass vaccination for urban rabies
A new plan uses data and maps to place vaccination sites where they’re most needed in cities, aiming to boost rabies vaccination for both people and dogs.
-
Spatially responsive mass vaccination for urban rabies
A project tests smarter placement of vaccination sites to increase mass canine rabies vaccination in cities.
-
Vaccine failure after Covid-19 vaccination in older adults
This project follows vaccinated older adults to understand who among them still gets Covid-19 and what factors make those outcomes worse.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.