Zoonotic diseases are those diseases and infections, the causative organisms of which are naturally transmitted between vertebrate animals and man. Rabies is one of the many zoonotic diseases and is known to affect humans since ancient times. It is primarily a disease of warm-blooded animals, particularly dogs, cats, jackals, and wolves which are carnivorous.
Rabies is transmitted to man by bites, scratches, or licks of affected animals and is commonly known as hydrophobia which is an acute, highly fatal viral disease affecting the central nervous system. It has a variable incubation period, i.e., from the animal bite to the disease manifestation, which is usually between 3 to 8 weeks. This is followed by a short period of illness ending in death.
Rabies has a worldwide distribution killing about 60,000 people annually mostly in developing countries that still harbour the disease. The developed countries have mostly achieved rabies-free....
