Range of Rabies-A Review

Received: 02/03/2014 Revised: 25/03/2014 Accepted: 29/03/2014 Abstract Rabies is one of the oldest recognized zoonotic diseases in the world. Each year more than 10 million people endure protracted anxiety after exposure to an animal suspected with rabies. In 2011, rabies was still endemic in about 100 countries in the world where 2.5 thousand million people live. Rabies virus infects all mammals with affinity to carnivores, which spread the virus. Compartmentation of rabies results in the disease to be reported in one major host species in certain geographical areas while it is reported less frequently in the same species in other areas. This makes disease control difficult as control strategies have to differ based on reservoir host, spills over host, topography and ecology of region and socioeconomic status of the country. This review emphasizes the range of species rabies has been reported around the world accentuating the need for post exposure prophylaxis after exposure to species less likely known to have rabies.