Human rabies is present in 150 countries and territories and on all continents, except for Antarctica (1).
- in the US, classical rabies virus in animals has become more prevalent since the 1950s; skunks, raccoons and bats account for 85% of animal cases
- in Asia, Africa, Central and South America, classical rabies virus (genotype 1) is endemic in feral dogs and is also present in domestic dogs
- in Mexico and Central and South America, vampire bats carry the classical rabies virus
- most countries that are declared rabies-free probably have rabies-related viruses in their bat populations (1)
The disease exists in two major epidemiological settings:
- urban Rabies - is most frequently transmitted to humans through rabid dogs. Transmission may also occur via rabid cats.
- sylvian (wild) rabies - is maintained in the wild by a host of animal reservoirs including foxes, skunks and bats
The true burden of the disease is likely to be underestimated due to chronic underreporting and political neglect in many developing countries.
- estimates of global burden in 2010 ranged from 26 400 to 61 000 deaths (depending on the method applied)
- 95% of rabies cases in humans occur in Africa and Asia; 84% of these in rural areas (3).
In the UK, deaths from classical rabies continue to occur in people infected abroad. Such instances are, however, rare, with 24 deaths having been reported since 1946, four of which have occurred since 2000 and the most recent was in 2012. All these were cases who had been bitten and infected while abroad in rabies endemic countries
- in 2002 a licensed bat handler died from infection with European Bat Lyssavirus type-2 acquired in Scotland
- no case of indigenous human rabies from animals other than bats has been reported in the UK since 1902(2).
Can be considered in terms of animals and humans.
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