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Rhode Island Medical Journal (2013) Aug 2020Rabies is an acute encephalitis that is caused by rabies virus (RABV) infection, which belongs to the Rhabdoviridae family of viruses. It causes about 59,000 human... (Review)
Review
Rabies is an acute encephalitis that is caused by rabies virus (RABV) infection, which belongs to the Rhabdoviridae family of viruses. It causes about 59,000 human deaths per year (although this number may be under-reported) and is generally fatal, once signs and symptoms begin to appear. Rabies is still very prevalent and under- reported, particularly in low to middle-income countries such as Asia and Africa, where there is lack of access to healthcare and domestic dogs are not widely vaccinated. Although not commonplace in the USA, rabies is mostly transmitted by wild animals such as bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes. Domesticated cats and dogs are also at risk of acquiring rabies, if they have not been vaccinated. Larger carnivores, such as coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, wolves, bears, woodchucks, and beavers, should also be considered rabid (unless proven otherwise) if they are involved in an unprovoked attack on a person. The rabies vaccine can prevent 99% of deaths if administered promptly after exposure. There are two main vaccination strategies for rabies prevention: pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). This article reviews background and epidemiology of rabies and current guidelines for rabies PrEP and PEP regimens for the United States.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Domestic; Animals, Wild; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; Disease Reservoirs; Humans; Population Surveillance; Rabies; Rabies Vaccines; United States; Vaccination; Zoonoses
PubMed: 32752569
DOI: No ID Found -
Nature Reviews. Microbiology Apr 2018Rabies is a lethal zoonotic disease that is caused by lyssaviruses, most often rabies virus. Despite control efforts, sporadic outbreaks in wildlife populations are... (Review)
Review
Rabies is a lethal zoonotic disease that is caused by lyssaviruses, most often rabies virus. Despite control efforts, sporadic outbreaks in wildlife populations are largely unpredictable, underscoring our incomplete knowledge of what governs viral transmission and spread in reservoir hosts. Furthermore, the evolutionary history of rabies virus and related lyssaviruses remains largely unclear. Robust surveillance efforts combined with diagnostics and disease modelling are now providing insights into the epidemiology and evolution of rabies virus. The immune status of the host, the nature of exposure and strain differences all clearly influence infection and transmission dynamics. In this Review, we focus on rabies virus infections in the wildlife and synthesize current knowledge in the rapidly advancing fields of rabies virus epidemiology and evolution, and advocate for multidisciplinary approaches to advance our understanding of this disease.
Topics: Animals; Evolution, Molecular; Host Specificity; Humans; Population Surveillance; Rabies; Rabies virus; Zoonoses
PubMed: 29479072
DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro.2018.11 -
Revue Scientifique Et Technique... Aug 2018Once clinical disease is manifest, the rabies virus is one of the few pathogens known to science with a near 100% fatality rate and, as such, this zoonotic pathogen has...
Once clinical disease is manifest, the rabies virus is one of the few pathogens known to science with a near 100% fatality rate and, as such, this zoonotic pathogen has shaped both humanity and the history of science. However, today rabies is still considered to be a neglected tropical disease, despite the fact that it causes more than 59,000 human deaths each year. Although effective vaccines are available to combat the disease, the underlying mechanisms of its pathogenicity and immunology remain poorly defined. In this paper, the existing knowledge of the pathogenesis and immunological response to the rabies virus in infected hosts is described.
Topics: Animals; Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; Humans; Rabies; Rabies virus
PubMed: 30747145
DOI: 10.20506/rst.37.2.2805 -
Revue Scientifique Et Technique... Aug 2018Rabies is an acute neurological infection of humans and animals, caused by rabies virus and usually transmitted by animal bites. After an incubation period usually...
Rabies is an acute neurological infection of humans and animals, caused by rabies virus and usually transmitted by animal bites. After an incubation period usually lasting weeks or longer, a variety of prodromal symptoms may occur. Encephalitic rabies (80% of cases) is associated with episodes of generalised arousal or hyperexcitability and hydrophobia, in which spasms involve the contraction of inspiratory muscles with swallowing. Paralytic rabies (in 20% of cases) is characterised by progressive lower motor neuron weakness. Laboratory investigations are important for confirming an ante mortem diagnosis of rabies. Cardiopulmonary and many other complications, including multiple organ failure, are common in aggressively managed rabies patients in critical care units. No effective therapy is available for rabies and survivors are uncommon. In contrast, preventative measures for rabies are highly effective after recognised exposures.
Topics: Humans; Rabies; Rabies virus
PubMed: 30747124
DOI: 10.20506/rst.37.2.2825 -
Vaccine Oct 2019
Topics: Disease Eradication; Global Health; Humans; Rabies
PubMed: 31564304
DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.06.051 -
Journal of the American Veterinary... Dec 2022Rabies is the deadliest viral infection known, with no reliable treatment, and although it is entirely preventable, rabies continues to kill more than 60,000 people...
Rabies is the deadliest viral infection known, with no reliable treatment, and although it is entirely preventable, rabies continues to kill more than 60,000 people every year, mostly children in countries where dog rabies is endemic. America is only 1 generation away from the time when rabies killed more than 10,000 animals and 50 Americans every year, but 3 to 5 Americans continue to die annually from rabies. Distressingly, > 50,000 Americans undergo rabies prevention therapy every year after exposure to potentially rabid animals. While enormous progress has been made, more must be done to defeat this ancient but persistent, fatal zoonosis. In the US, lack of public awareness and ambivalence are the greatest dangers imposed by rabies, resulting in unnecessary exposures, anxiety, and risk. Veterinarians have a special role in informing and reassuring the public about prevention and protection from rabies. This summary of current facts and future advances about rabies will assist veterinarians in informing their clients about the disease.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Humans; Rabies; Zoonoses; Veterinarians; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Rabies Vaccines; Dog Diseases
PubMed: 36476414
DOI: 10.2460/javma.22.09.0420 -
The Veterinary Clinics of North... Apr 1997Equine rabies is a sporadic but highly fatal zoonotic disease. The disease persists in wildlife populations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and other parts... (Review)
Review
Equine rabies is a sporadic but highly fatal zoonotic disease. The disease persists in wildlife populations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and other parts of the world. It remains a threat to all domestic species, including the horse. This article reports recent advances in the molecular virology of the rabies virus and its pathogenesis, and it also reviews the history, clinical signs, diagnostic tests, vaccination protocols, and postexposure management recommendations for the equine species.
Topics: Animals; Horse Diseases; Horses; Rabies; Rabies Vaccines; Rabies virus; United States
PubMed: 9106339
DOI: 10.1016/s0749-0739(17)30251-1 -
The Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary... Apr 2014Over the past 20 years, major progress has been made in our understanding of critical aspects of rabies epidemiology and control. This paper presents results of recent... (Review)
Review
Over the past 20 years, major progress has been made in our understanding of critical aspects of rabies epidemiology and control. This paper presents results of recent research, highlighting methodological advances that have been applied to burden of disease studies, rabies epidemiological modelling and rabies surveillance. These results contribute new insights and understanding with regard to the epidemiology of rabies and help to counteract misperceptions that currently hamper rabies control efforts in Africa. The conclusion of these analyses is that the elimination of canine rabies in Africa is feasible, even in wildlife-rich areas, through mass vaccination of domestic dogs and without the need for indiscriminate culling to reduce dog population density. Furthermore, the research provides valuable practical insights that support the operational planning and design of dog vaccination campaigns and rabies surveillance measures.
Topics: Africa; Animals; Animals, Wild; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Rabies
PubMed: 25005807
DOI: 10.4102/ojvr.v81i2.731 -
Indian Journal of Public Health Sep 2019
Topics: Health Surveys; Humans; India; Rabies
PubMed: 31603082
DOI: 10.4103/ijph.IJPH_410_19 -
Viruses Jan 2024Rabies encephalitis has plagued humankind for thousands of years. In developed countries, access to preventive care, both pre-exposure and post-exposure, has... (Review)
Review
Rabies encephalitis has plagued humankind for thousands of years. In developed countries, access to preventive care, both pre-exposure and post-exposure, has significantly reduced the burden of suffering and disease. However, around the world, rabies remains a neglected tropical disease, largely due to uncontrolled dog rabies, and tens of thousands perish each year. Currently, the standard of care for management of rabies encephalitis is palliation. Heroic attempts to treat human rabies patients over the last few decades have yielded glimpses into our understanding of pathophysiology, opening the door to the development of new antiviral therapies and modalities of treatment. Researchers continue to investigate new compounds and approaches to therapy, yet there remain real challenges given the complexity of the disease. We explore and review some of the promising therapies on the horizon in pursuit of a salvage treatment for rabies.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Dogs; Rabies; Zoonoses; Rabies virus; Encephalitis; Rabies Vaccines
PubMed: 38275970
DOI: 10.3390/v16010160