Every year on September 28, the world observes World Rabies Day , a vital occasion aimed at raising awareness about the prevention of rabies and highlighting progress in combating this deadly disease. This date holds particular significance as it marks the anniversary of the death of Louis Pasteur, the pioneering French chemist and microbiologist who developed the first rabies vaccine. Despite the availability of effective vaccines and treatments, rabies remains a major global health challenge, claiming the lives of tens of thousands each year.
Alarmingly, approximately 99% of these cases result from bites by infected dogs. Rabies is a viral zoonotic disease that leads to severe inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. It manifests in two forms: furious rabies, characterised by hyperactivity and hallucinations, and paralytic rabies, which results in paralysis and coma.
Once clinical symptoms appear, the disease is nearly always fatal, but it is completely preventable through vaccination and timely medical intervention. To effectively tackle rabies, comprehensive surveillance systems are crucial. The World Health Organisation (WHO) supports the integration of human and animal rabies surveillance, enabling countries to report data that is essential for tracking progress in rabies control and elimination campaigns.
Accurate and integrated data not only helps in understanding the disease's burden and informing policy decisions but also ensures that vaccine and treatment resourc.