Rabies in Europe--trends and developments

Rabies continues to be a major public health concern both in Europe and worldwide. In the greater part of the European continent the disease has been eradicated, or its incidence drastically reduced, by oral vaccination of wildlife reservoirs. Yet, 'hot spots' still remain in north-eastern and south-eastern Europe with a high temporal variation of disease distribution in the previous decade. Rabies is predominantly transmitted by the red fox; but in recent years, especially in Eastern European countries, an independent infection cycle in raccoon dogs seems to have developed. Although countries such as the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Poland achieved very impressive rabies control results and trend analyses of rabies occurrence showed a long- and short-term decrease, there is still need for improved rabies surveillance and control in Europe. The Rabies Bulletin Europe (RBE), a quarterly, printed and on-line publication, aims to improve this situation. Besides the need to improve the quality of data in some countries, it will provide a public domain rabies database in the near future. Further strategic cooperation is necessary to control the disease in areas of European public health concern.