3 ms·
Here in Canada, we've been trying to eradicate rabies from the wild for half a century or so now. There are orally-active rabies vaccines we litter the landsca
by retrac 5y ago
Here in Canada, we've been trying to eradicate rabies from the wild for half a century or so now. There are orally-active rabies vaccines we litter the landscape with in edible treat format. We cull rabid animals and quarantine or cull their known animal contacts. It's common knowledge that exposure to possible vectors means you need to go to the hospital. Tens of thousands of people are treated preventatively each year.
Despite all this, human cases of rabies still happen. Fortunately it's rather hard to spread rabies between humans and it's symptomatic by the time it becomes infectious. In the case of an easily airborne virus even with such measures available like vaccination and prophylaxis for possible exposure, it seems daunting to the point of impossible even in a very wealthy country. In the developing world it would be certainly hopeless.
- epgui 5y agoYeah, eradication of a disease in the wild is a whole other matter. But so rabies also is another matter. Cases are relatively rare here (hello, fellow Canadian!), and surveillance is relatively good for the little burden of disease it brings. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/rabies/surveillance.html https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/rab... Genetic surveillance is just around the corner, and will soon be / is now within reach even of developing countries, with solutions like Oxford Nanopore's ultra-portable sequencers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RRSxWtJPUw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RRSxWtJPUw