Rabies in Nigeria: A review of literature

Abstract

Rabies, also known as hydrophobia is an acute, viral disease of all warm blooded animals including man. It is caused by the rabies virus (RABV), a bullet–shaped, enveloped RNA virus, 45-100 nm in diameter & 100-430 nm in length with projections and helical nucleocapsid, one of the better known encephalitis viruses of the family Rhabdoviridae and genus Lyssavirus type 1

It is a major public-health problem in most parts of the developing world. The domestic dog (Canis familiaris) plays a principal role (accounting for over 99%) as a reservoir and transmitter of the disease to humans. Developing countries account for almost all the reported human deaths (99.9%) and most cases of human post-exposure treatments. Rabies is an important public health problem especially in the developing countries and this articles aims to draw attention to this neglected disease.

Keywords: rhabdoviridae, rabies