The rabies situation in Western Europe.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary epidemiology
• Zoonotic disease surveillance

Background:

• Rabies remains a public health concern globally, necessitating ongoing surveillance.
• Understanding the current epidemiological status of rabies in Western Europe is crucial for targeted control strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the rabies situation in Western Europe for the years 2005-2006.
• To assess the prevalence of rabies in domestic animals, wild carnivores, and bats.
• To review wildlife vaccination efforts and challenges in data collection for prophylaxis.

Main Methods:

• Data collection via questionnaires sent to 16 Western European countries.
• Inclusion of information from Rabies Bulletin Europe and OIE publications.
• Analysis of reported rabies cases in animals and humans, and vaccination campaigns.

Main Results:

• Rabies in domestic animals and wild carnivores is very rare; Germany reported few rabid foxes in 2005.
• Bat rabies was detected in four countries.
• One imported human case occurred in the UK; Germany reported four human cases in transplant recipients.
• Wildlife vaccination campaigns were implemented by Austria, Germany, and France.

Conclusions:

• Rabies is largely controlled in Western Europe's domestic and wild animal populations.
• Bat rabies surveillance and imported human cases require continued attention.
• Inconsistent reporting of human and animal post-exposure prophylaxis hinders comprehensive data analysis.