Rabies Awareness: Bridging the Global Health Gap

Rabies is a disease caused by a virus that affects the central nervous system in mammals, including humans. Once symptoms manifest, it is almost always fatal, making it one of the deadliest diseases known. Despite being preventable through vaccination, rabies continues to be a significant public health threat, especially in regions where vaccination coverage is low. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that rabies causes thousands of human deaths each year, with most cases occurring in rural areas of Africa and Asia. All warm-blooded animals are vulnerable to infection with rabies virus, but mammals are the only known vectors and reservoirs in nature. Factors such as the viral variant, the quantity of virus inoculated, and the bite site affects susceptibility. In addition, the degree of species susceptibility varies considerably. Foxes, coyotes, jackals, wolves, and certain rodents are among the most susceptible animal groups. Skunks, raccoons, bats, rabbits, cattle, and some members of the families Felidae and Viverridae have a high susceptibility. Groups with only moderate susceptibility include domestic dogs, sheep, goats, horses, and nonhuman primates. Birds and primitive mammals such as the opossum may have low susceptibility. Cats are actually more resistant than dogs are to experimental infection with some canine rabies virus isolates but are much more prone to develop infection with some field isolates from wildlife and with vaccine virus. Younger animals are usually more susceptible to rabies infection than are older ones.