[The campaign against rabies--history and the present state]

Rabies is one of the oldest known infectious diseases and with regard to its present prevalence it still remains an important zoonosis. In the submitted paper the author presents data on the historical development of scientific findings on rabies, the important part played by Louis Pasteur and his pupils, the development of the position as regards rabies in the Czech Republic in the past and present time and the role of different animal species. At present we can define in Europe five basic ecological biovariants of rabies associated with specific vector animal species. The role of a dominant vector is held in this country by the fox. Anti-infectious provisions are concentrated mainly on the oral immunization of foxes, preventive immunization of domestic animals and therapeutic and prophylactic provisions in man. In antirabies prophylaxis highly immunogenic and safe tissue vaccines are preferred.