title: Human rabies deaths in Africa: breaking the cycle of indifference.
abstract: The current outbreak of Ebola virus disease has mobilized the international community against this deadly disease. However, rabies, another deadly disease, is greatly affecting the African continent, with an estimated 25 000 deaths every year. And yet, the disease can be prevented by a vaccine, if necessary with immunoglobulin, even when administered after exposure to the rabies virus. Rabies victims die because of neglect and ignorance, because they are not aware of these life-saving biologicals, or because they cannot access them or do not have the money to pay for them. Breaking the cycle of indifference of rabies deaths in humans in Africa should be a priority of governments, international organizations and all stakeholders involved.
authors.affiliation: AfroREB coordinator, Dodet Bioscience, 6B rue de Verdun, 69300 Caluire et Cuire, France betty.dodet@dodetbioscience.com.
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dodet
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Public Health Service, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Mathurin C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Tejiokem
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, 01 BP 188, Cotonou, Bénin.
authors.forename: Abdou-Rahman
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Aguemon
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur, Unité Dynamique des lyssavirus et adaptation à l'hôte, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Rabies, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bourhy
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D018563:Disease Notification / Q000592:standards; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D004285:Dogs; D006292:Health Priorities; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D032541:Mass Vaccination; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011818:Rabies / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011819:Rabies Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D011819:Rabies Vaccines
keywords: Africa; Ebola; Rabies