A review of rabies elimination in Europe

Abstract

The rabies situation has changed drastically in all European countries where oral vaccination campaigns of red foxes against rabies have been implemented. All types of oral vaccines used have shown to be highly efficacious, enabling rabies elimination over large areas. Several countries are already declared rabies-free according to the internationally conditions set and other countries are in the final stage of this process. In this review, the rabies situation in a number of selected European countries is described, with special emphasis on oral vaccination.