Rabies: The Scientific Basis and Its Public Threat

Abstract

Every year, more than 55,000 people die from rabies around the world. Most human rabies deaths happen in Africa and Asia, where rabies remains a neglected disease. As soon as symptoms appear, human rabies is usually fatal due to acute, progressive encephalomyelitis. Although humans take precautions against rabies, sporadic outbreaks still occur in wild populations, indicating that factors that govern virus transmission and spread remain unclear. A great deal is unknown about the evolution of rabies viruses and other lyssaviruses. Because lyssaviruses are highly neurotropic, they infect the nervous system by breaking through the skin barrier. The transmission of rabies is largely dependent on domestic dogs. In addition to being part of the daily lives, domestic dogs are also part of our surroundings, which makes them more likely to contract zoonotic diseases. To eliminate rabies from domestic dog populations, which are the most dangerous vectors for humans, a sustained international commitment is important. Preventing clinical disease and death in domesticated and wild animals can be accomplished by vaccination and avoiding behaviors that may trigger exposure. Vaccines for wildlife and monoclonal antibodies are also being investigated as ongoing treatments.