Rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease (animal disease that can be transmitted to humans) caused by a virus of the genus Lyssavirus. Excreted in the saliva of infected mammals in the final phases of the disease, the virus is generally transmitted to another animal or to humans through biting. Contamination may also occur if the saliva of an infected animal comes into contact with an open wound or a mucous membrane. Without post-exposure treatment prior to the onset of clinical signs, the disease is invariably fatal.

Rabies, which causes over 59,000 human deaths a year worldwide, is found all over the world, except in certain areas such as Antarctica. Several European countries have become rabies-free in non flying mammals thanks to oral vaccination programmes of wildlife.

There are 16 different rabies virus species, seven of which transmission to human has already been notified. Those species are mainly differentiated according to the animal host species. Rabies due to rabies virus species (RABV) is responsible for most human and animal rabies cases.

In industrialised countries, rabies persists mainly in wild animals, whereas in many developing countries it remains an endemic disease, with the domestic dog as principal reservoir and main source of human contamination.

In European countries, rabies in dogs was eliminated several decades ago, but it continued to persist and spread in fox and racoon dog populations. Thanks to oral vaccination campaigns conducted in wildlife, the incidence of rabies in both domestic and wild animals in the EU has drastically reduced. Rabies has been eliminated from the Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Estonia, Italy, Latvia and Slovenia.The elimination of rabies in non-flying mamals (RABV) in the European Union will be reachable in the next years. In 2018 and 2019, eight (from 3 EU countries) and five (from 2 EU countries) cases, respectively, were reported in the EU.

To detect timely any suspect animal, the rabies situation in all Europe should be continuously monitored, based on surveillance programmes. The illegal importation of infected cats and dogs from endemic countries remains a major concern, with regular rabies alerts occuring (ProMED). In Europe, bat rabies cases are attributed to five different lyssavirus species. While European bat lyssavirus types 1 and 2 are responsible for most bat rabies cases, Bokeloh bat lyssavirus, West Caucasian bat lyssavirus and Lleida bat lyssavirus have occasionnaly been isolated.

Additional documentation

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• Rabies - Description and monitoring of the disease

Strain database

The EURL has developed a database recording epidemiological information on rabies strains including the corresponding Genbank sequence accession number. Linking Genbank numbers to this database will avoid the duplication of information and prevent redundancies for the NRLs since the GenBank database is an appropriate and useful tool already used for publication, research and analysis of sequences. The advantage of the EURL's sequence database is that it will make epidemiological information related to this sequence available.

Submit cases

Please participate actively in the deployment of the database by filling out the form for each of your new positive cases!

• Submit data on-line
• Download strain identification form (pdf, to be sent by mail or email)

Consult data

• All data - strain database direct consultation
• Advanced search in database

♦ 17 November 2009 ♦

The second workshop for rabies took place on 17 November 2009 in Nancy. Sixty-six participants from 37 laboratories coming from 32 countries, and three institutions including the European Commission and EFSA attended this event.
The overall number of participants was higher than in 2008. This is mainly due to the fact that the triennial rabies serology meeting was planned the following day and that the majority of participants were attending both days. A breakdown of participants from EC National Reference Laboratories (NRL) shows that 41 participants came from 23 laboratories. Only four EC countries were excused, suggesting a substantial increase of EC NRL attendance compared to last year. For the second workshop for rabies, the European Member States were represented along with countries from all over the world. Although the meeting was more specifically dedicated to National Reference Laboratories, the participation of other laboratories was highly appreciated and discussions between participants were all the more fruitful overall. Discussions on work programme 2010, proficiency tests, sequence database and presentations by National Reference Laboratories were proof that rabies concerns remain. Nevertheless, there is a strong consciousness from all Member States that the disease can be efficiently controlled if concerted efforts are carried out.

♦ 18 November 2009 ♦

The triennial meeting of the Rabies Serology CRL took place on 18 November 2009 in Nancy (France). It brought together a total of 64 participants from 37 laboratories coming from 30 countries and two institutions (the European Commission and OIE). Discussions mainly focused on the benefits and disadvantages of the Platelia Rabies II kit (Bio-Rad) test for domestic carnivore serum sample analysis, as well as its alternatives.
This meeting was organised following the Second Workshop for Rabies held the day before. Most of the participants attended both meetings.

The objectives of this meeting were the following:

• to provide an opportunity for rabies scientists from approved rabies serology laboratories to get together
• to provide an opportunity for the participants to present rabies serology
• to collect information from the European Commission regarding the movements of pets within the European Union as well as the new procedure for laboratory approval