One Health for Dog-mediated Rabies Elimination in Asia : A Collection of Local Experiences

Although an effective human rabies vaccine has existed since 1885, rabies continues to kill an estimated 59,000 people every year. Sixty per cent of these human deaths occur in Asia. The number of animals, especially dogs, who die of rabies is uncalculated. To work towards the global target of eliminating dog-mediated human rabies deaths, the rabies community is applying the One Health approach by jointly focusing on humans and dogs. Written by a multidisciplinary group of scholars and rabies control programme specialists, this book is a collection of experiences and observations on the challenges and successes along the path to rabies control and prevention in Asia. The book: -grounds chapters in solid scientific theory, but retains a direct, practice-focused and inspirational approach; -provides numerous examples of lessons learned and experience-based knowledge gained across countries at different levels of rabies elimination; -brings together and highlights the practices of a strong, international rabies network that works according to the One Health concept. Covering perspectives from almost a dozen Asian countries and a wide range of sectors and disciplines, such as healthcare facilities, veterinary services, laboratories, public health institutes, wildlife research centres and academia, this book is an invaluable resource for rabies practitioners and scholars, but also those working in the wider fields of disease control and cross-sectoral One Health.