There are no insurmountable obstacles to controlling dog rabies because:
The global scale and magnitude of the rabies problem, a major factor in generating political support, is now widely recognized as these studies demonstrate.
In regions where the highest number of human rabies deaths and exposures occur (Africa and Asia), the domestic dog is responsible for almost all maintenance and transmission of the disease. Intervention programmes focused on preventing rabies in dogs will therefore lead to the disappearance of rabies in dogs and other species, including humans, and this has been successfully shown.
- Photo coutesy of Serengeti Carnivore Disease Project
Rabies is entirely preventable. Modern safe, affordable and efficacious vaccines for animals have controlled rabies in many parts of the world.
Levels of rabies virus transmission in dogs are low, as shown in this study, therefore elimination of canine rabies can be achieved.
Effective strategies for the prevention of rabies in dogs, particularly through mass immunization campaigns, are available, as shown here. Adequate community involvement can be achieved through increased awareness rendering most rural and urban dogs accessible for vaccination.
- Photo coutesy of Serengeti Carnivore Disease Project
Diagnostic and surveillance approaches are available to help evaluate the impact of control and elimination efforts.
Reducing human rabies deaths through effective dog rabies control is less costly than increasing the use of human vaccine. Sustainable resources to support dog rabies control could become available by using savings from reduced demand for human vaccine by establishing strong collaborations between the medical and veterinary sectors.
Click here to view a study showing that canine rabies elimination in Africa is a feasible objective.
All the contributors