Human rabies in India: epidemiological features, management and current methods of prevention

Abstract

In most endemic countries stray dogs are the main source of rabies infection in humans. In India 95-97% of rabies patients are infected by dogs. Most pet dogs do not regularly receive booster doses of vaccine. In Thailand, most rabies patients develop the disease within 1 month of exposure. Rabies immunoglobulin is costly and usually not available. So in India nervous tissue vaccine is commonly used--it is inexpensive and freely available despite frequent neurological complications. The cost of immunization by tissue culture vaccines may be reduced by nearly 60% by intradermal vaccination.