World Rabies Day (WDR), established by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) and recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) every September 28, is an transcendental day to promote the fight against this desease and reinforce awareness about its prevention. Rabies is a zoonotic disease with a fatality rate of 100%. Endemic on several continents, it is estimated that every year around 60,000 people in the world die from it, 40% of them children. The elimination of human rabies transmitted by dogs is possible, the progress of many countries in the region of the Americas in this achievement is proof of this. This year`s motto "All for 1, One Health for All" highlights the need to implement an intersectoral and multidisciplinary approach with the contribution, intervention and cooperation of professional teams from the human, animal and environmental health sectors.

World Rabies Day

28 | Septembre

The chosen date pays homage to the French scientist, Louis Pasteur, who died on September 28, 1895. Pasteur was the creator of the rabies vaccine, his discoveries in various fields of natural sciences and his contributions to public health allowed and still allow today to save countless lives.

The DMR is an opportunity to promote the fight against this disease, raise awareness about its prevention, and commemorate achievements.

Mass canine vaccination is the most effective tool and constitutes the main action for the prevention of rabies in dogs. The Regional Rabies Elimination Program of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), coordinated by the Pan American Center for Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health (PANAFTOSA/SPV-PAHO/WHO), and validated by the Directors of the Rabies Elimination Programs. rabies in the Americas (REDIPRA) recommends maintaining a vaccination coverage of 80% of the canine population as a strategy to reduce the circulation of the virus in susceptible hosts and prevent cases of human rabies transmitted by dogs.

Rabies is a zoonotic disease with a fatality rate of 100%. Endemic to several continents, it is estimated that around 60,000 people die each year in the world, 40% of whom are children under 15 years of age.

Ensuring equitable access to health services and rabies post-exposure prophylaxis for underserved communities not only saves lives but also strengthens national health systems.

Obtaining satisfactory canine vaccination coverage and timely and complete post-exposure prophylaxis in humans, as well as effective epidemiological surveillance are essential to reduce disease incidence.

Actions for the elimination of human rabies transmitted by dogs in the Americas began in 1983, with the launch of the PAHO Regional Rabies Elimination Program, coordinated by PANAFTOSA/SPV. Since then, the incidence of human rabies transmitted by dogs in the Americas has been reduced by about 98%, from 300 cases reported in 1983 to 3 cases in 2023 so far.

This progress is the result of massive canine vaccination campaigns at the regional level, raising awareness in society and expanding the availability of pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis to 100% of the population exposed to the virus. The results achieved in the last 40 years allow us to affirm that the achievement of eliminating human rabies of canine origin (variants 1 and 2) in the American continent is very close.