Unfortunately, VEE vaccine is not widely used in most enzootic areas. During epidemics, mosquito vectors can be controlled by insecticides. When the rabies virus is transmitted to humans, the resulting illness is uniformly fatal if symptoms occur. Onset of the disease can be prevented, however, by prompt institution of prophylactic therapy after exposure or by preexposure vaccination. There is no therapeutic value in giving prophylactic treatment once clinical manifestations of rabies are evident, because death will invariably occur.
Rabies occurs worldwide.
In urban areas where there are no immunization programs for animals, the domestic dog is the major source. Elsewhere, wildlife may be responsible for human infection. Generally, however, the epidemiology of human rabies is most closely related to that of canine rabies. Rabies has been demonstrated in insectivorous bats throughout the United States. The risk of disease from a bite is almost 50 times greater than the risk from scratches by a rabid animal.