Rabies: a fatal but vaccine-preventable zoonotic disease

Rabies is a fatal encephalomyelitis caused by a lyssavirus, spread via bites or scratches from infected animals. Ninety-nine percent of all human rabies cases are transmitted by dogs. Globally, an estimated 59,000 people die each year from dog rabies. However, human rabies is 100% preventable through post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) comprising: proper wound management, prompt administration of the human rabies vaccine, and simultaneous administration of rabies immunoglobulins where indicated.

In the Western Pacific Region, the reported number of human rabies cases decreased by 53%, from 1,104 to 523, between 2015 and 2020 (Figure 1). This significant reduction was largely driven by declining case numbers in China. However, it must be noted that rabies cases are significantly underreported.