BBC Rabies 'could be gone in decade'

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* Rabies 'could be gone in decade' *

Rabies could be eradicated from the world within

a decade, according to Edinburgh University

experts.

Full story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6983384.stm

 

Rabies 'could be gone in decade'

Rabies could be wiped out across the world within

a decade if sufficient vaccination programmes are

carried out on domestic dogs, according to

experts.

 

Edinburgh University's Royal Dick Vet School

staff have carried out extensive research into

the disease, which kills about 55,000 people per

year.

 

If enough domestic dogs are vaccinated, worldwide

the disease cycle could be broken leaving no

threat to humans.

 

They hope village-based campaigns could reach 70% of the dog population.

The first World Rabies Day took place on Friday.

 

Edinburgh University staff are working with

vaccine manufacturer Intervet on a programme to

eradicate the disease in the Serengeti region of

east Africa.

 

This follows work by the university which found

all animals infected with rabies there had a

variant of the disease that originated from the

domestic dog.

 

Staff at the university's vet school have also

been involved in setting up the Alliance for

Rabies Control, a Scottish-based charity

established to combat the disease.

 

They claim that in areas where there is a high

prevalence of the disease, such as Africa and

Asia, the need for vaccination schemes has often

been overlooked, despite the fact this would cost

less than other healthcare programmes.

 

Vet school staff member Sarah Cleaveland, one of

the alliance's board members, said: " Very few

people in Western Europe will ever die from

rabies, but for those affected in developing

countries it can cause immeasurable suffering.

 

" Children are most at risk of being bitten by a

rabid animal and in sub-Saharan Africa it can

cost 40% of an annual income to pay for

post-exposure vaccination and hospital visits.

" It's estimated that in Africa and Asia almost

eight million people a year receive costly

post-exposure prophylaxis, yet the cost to

eradicate rabies is comparatively small compared

to other healthcare programmes. "

 

More than 45 countries across the world are

holding events throughout September to raise

awareness of the need to control the spread of

the disease.

 

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/698338\

4.stm

 

Published: 2007/09/08 00:29:27 GMT

 

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