Evaluating human rabies control in Asia: using ‘One Health’ principles to assess control programmes for rabies

Abstract

Rabies is a global issue, and kills tens of thousands of people every year, despite being a preventable disease. The goal of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) to eliminate dog-mediated rabies by 2030 requires serious collaborative efforts across Ministries and countries. This cross-sector cooperation includes, but is not limited to, physicians, veterinarians, local authorities, local communities and the media; in other words, a 'One Health' approach. Countries where human rabies has been successfully eliminated still require constant vigilance, in terms of regulations on companion animal ownership and vaccination, the movement of animals from countries where the disease still exists, and the continued raising of public awareness. Rabies-endemic countries need to refocus their efforts towards eliminating the disease once and for all, by working together and sharing their knowledge, experiences and efforts. Rabies control programmes require the efficient management of resources, and surveillance programmes do not need to be specific to one disease. Governments must play a more proactive role by enforcing legislation and allocating funds and resources to help to eliminate human rabies by 2030 throughout the world.

Animal bites and post-exposure prophylaxis in Central-West Tunisia: a 15-year surveillance data

“…Special rabies control committees under the “one health prospective “should be implemented. To achieve 2030 goals, enforcing legislation, allocating resources and the assessment of the national rabies control programs weaknesses by governments are key solutions [ 36 ].…”

Continued Failure of Rabies Elimination—Consideration of Challenges in Applying the One Health Approach

“…Increased globalization, economic and population growth, and technological advancements resulted in increased competition and reduced research funding and resources. Stakeholders continue to be pitted against one another to compete for limited resources rather than encouraged to pool resources toward a common goal ( 3 , 15 ). The world is used to living in a competitive culture and are worried that pooling resources and taking risks together will result in loss of rewards that they are working to gain.…”

“…It is not always straightforward to identify the root of the problem. For example, the specific facilitating factors for the transmission of rabies in one country often does not apply to another ( 3 ). Different sectors bring in different expertise and perspectives.…”

“…Cost-effective control includes vaccination and population control of the canid reservoir, i.e., prevention at the source. Many parts of the Western Hemisphere were successful in eliminating canine rabies, likely due to mass culling in 19th century and perhaps early 20th century, followed by robust legislation, however rabies continues to be endemic in numerous countries in Asia and Africa ( 3 , 4 ). As noted by many in the past, human rabies deaths is only an estimate as it remains underreported ( 5 ).…”

Recombinant Human Adenovirus Type 5 Co-expressing RABV G and SFTSV Gn Induces Protective Immunity Against Rabies Virus and Severe Fever With Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus in Mice

“…Rabies is a highly lethal acute infectious disease caused by rabies virus (RABV) with the mortality rate nearly 100%. Rabies is endemic in more than 150 countries around the world and kills nearly 59,000 people every year (Ghai and Hemachudha, 2018). The number of rabies cases reported in China has consistently ranked second in the world since the late 1990's, and 500-3,000 people die of rabies every year (Tao et al, 2019).…”