Rabies epidemiology and control

Rabies is a nearly always fatal viral encephalitis caused by lyssaviruses, transmitted through the saliva of infected mammals and responsible for tens of thousands of human deaths each year, predominantly in Asia and Africa. Epidemiologists and virologists work to map how the virus spreads through reservoir populations—particularly domestic dogs in low-income settings and bats across a far wider geographic range—and to quantify the true burden of disease, which remains substantially undercounted. Vaccination campaigns targeting dog populations have proven effective at breaking transmission chains, yet sustaining coverage in endemic regions and understanding how bat-associated strains periodically spill over into humans and other animals remain active problems. At the molecular level, researchers are also tracing how the virus hijacks neuronal transport machinery to evade immune clearance, seeking vulnerabilities that might inform better post-exposure treatments for a disease where the window for intervention is narrow.

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Keywords

RabiesVirusTransmissionControlEpidemiologyHosts