Theoretical potential for elimination of rabies spread by dogs, worldwide.

Global elimination of this disease appears to be possible, according to a team which includes scientists from McMaster University, Britain and the United States. During a rabies outbreak in northern Tanzania, the team of scientists was able to directly trace case-to-case transmission of rabies. From this data, they generated a detailed analysis of rabies transmission biology and found evidence for surprisingly low levels of transmission. "Achieving vaccination coverage of 60 per cent or more in dog populations in Africa is both logistically and economically feasible through annual vaccination campaigns," the scientists said in the PLoS paper. The cost of rabies both in terms of the 55,000 deaths a year and post exposure vaccination treatments is very significant, Dushoff said. "If it really is a disease that can be eliminated, our group believes we should go and get it.