| September 28, 2009 marks the date of the 3rd annual World Rabies Day. The
Alliance for Rabies Control, a United Kingdom charity, led in the organization
of the first event to raise awareness about this deadly disease. Today the event
is a partnership between numerous veterinary and human health professionals,
teaching institutes, corporate industries and non-profit organizations operating
at local, national and international levels.
The mission of World Rabies Day is to raise awareness about the impact of
human and animal rabies, how easy it is to prevent it, and how to eliminate the
main global sources. It is estimated that more than 55,000 people die from
rabies every year - or put another way, one person dies from rabies every ten
minutes. Although rabies has existed for centuries, it causes constant mortality
month after month and year after year, rather than spectacular epidemics or
pandemics. The majority of cases occur in children living in impoverished areas
of Africa and Asia; most cases are the result of exposure to dogs with
uncontrolled rabies. This major source of rabies in humans can be eliminated
through ensuring adequate animal vaccination and control, educating those at
risk, and enhancing access of those bitten to appropriate medical care. Indeed,
in Latin America, the goal of eliminating dog - transmitted rabies to humans has
nearly been accomplished. The number of human and canine cases has fallen by
nearly 90%. Today, human rabies in Latin America is found in impoverished areas:
cases transmitted by dogs occur in the poverty belts of mega-cities, and cases
transmitted by vampire bats occur in remote areas of the Amazon.
Even though rabies is relatively uncommon in developed countries, it does not
mean that North Americans can or should be indifferent to this disease or relax
our control efforts. We continue to manipulate our environment, extend our
communities into animal habitats, travel across continents, import and export
materials globally, increasing our risk of potential exposure. New strains of
rabies can be introduced in an area by deliberate importation of animals or by
natural means such as migration of flying or terrestrial mammals.
The World Rabies Day initiative represents an excellent example of
collaboration between human, veterinary, and public health communities to
address a common issue and reduce suffering in both human and animal populations
by preventing and/or eradicating rabies on a worldwide scale. More importantly,
this initiative serves as an excellent example of how to implement the concept
of "One Health", a recognition that human and animal health are inextricably
linked and that a unified multi-disciplinary approach is needed to address the
health challenges of the 21st century. The creation of the One Health Challenge
in support of World Rabies Day reflects the desire of modern health
professionals to act at the local level in order to affect our global health.
You can find further information about World Rabies Day and links to other
important information about zoonotic diseases and the concept of One Health at
www.worldrabiesday.org and http://www.cdc.gov/rabies.
Caution: These news items, written by Lifelearn Inc., are
licensed to this practice for the personal use of our clients. Any copying,
printing or further distribution is prohibited without the express written
permission of Lifelearn Inc. Please note that the news information presented
here is NOT a substitute for a proper consultation and/or clinical examination
of your pet by our clinic veterinarian.
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