In the United States, rabies is relatively well-controlled, and human death from rabies is rare. In some developing nations of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, however, rabies is poorly controlled, and thousands of people die of rabies every year. Rabies is a viral disease. Because rabies virus is present in the saliva of infected animals, the most common mode of transmission of the virus is through the bite of a rabid animal. At the end of the incubation period, the virus begins to replicate and spread.
All mammals are susceptible to rabies, and any animal infected with rabies can transmit the virus.
Most recent cases of human rabies in the United States have occurred as a result of exposure to bat rabies. Effective vaccination and animal control programs have almost eliminated the occurence of domestic dogs rabies in the United States. In contrast, in certain developing nations of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, rabies itself is poorly controled, and dogs are a major reservoir of rabies. Certain symptoms , however, are indicative of rabies. The material in this article is provided for informational purposes only.