Identification of a rabid dog illegally introduced from the Republic of the Gambia to Belgium and France

In March 2008, a six-month-old stray female puppy was found injured in the Republic of the Gambia. A Belgian resident holidaying in the country took the dog to a local veterinary clinic to be treated. It was operated upon, and on 15 March was given a first rabies vaccine dose and micro-chipped. The dog was adopted by the Belgian woman, and a certificate of good health was provided for it by a Gambian veterinarian on 5 April. The dog and its new owner took a flight to Belgium on 6 April and arrived in Brussels, via Dakar, on the morning of 7 April. No serological control had been carried out before leaving hte Republic of the Gambia, and the owner had not applied for legal authorisation to import the dog into Belgium. The dog travelled in the cabin inside a travel box carried on the owner's lap, with just the head exposed. The dog had been sedated before departure and reportedly slept throughout the plane journey. According to the owner, there were two possible human contacts during the flight. .