Rabies

Rabies is a viral disease which occurs in more than 150 countries and territories. Dogs are the main source of human rabies deaths, contributing up to 99% of all rabies transmissions to humans.

Globally rabies causes an estimated cost of $8.6 billion per year.

Prevention is possible by vaccination, including post-exposure immunisation to be given as soon after the exposure as possible.

Dogs are the main source of human rabies deaths, contributing up to 99% of all rabies transmissions to humans, according to the geographic area. Rabies spreads to people and animals via saliva, usually through bites, scratches or direct contact with mucosa.

After an incubation period of 3–8 weeks, non-specific symptoms appear, such as headache, fever and numbness of the skin around the site of the bite. A phase of seizures and eventually coma follows, which almost invariably leads to the patient’s death.