World Rabies Day

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Rabies is a deadly viral disease which affects the central nervous system of the affected. It is caused by a bullet shaped Rhabdoviridae virus found in the saliva of infected animals. All types of mammals whether domestic or wild can acquire and spread rabies. Rabies is a zoonotic disease which means it is a disease which can be transmitted to humans from animals. It is spread to people through close contact with infected saliva (via bites or scratches). The disease is present on nearly every continent of the world but most human deaths occur in Asia and Africa (more than 95%). Once symptoms of the disease develop, rabies is fatal. Most human deaths follow a bite from an infected dog. Between 30% to 60% of the victims of dog bites are children under the age of 15. There are safe and effective vaccines available for people who have been bitten by an animal that might have the disease, but usage in developing countries is low due to the high cost. Many people around the world observe World Rabies Day (WRD), which raises awareness about the impact of rabies and how the disease can be prevented. It is held on September 28 each year.

History - World Rabies Day, which is founded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and ARC (Alliance for Rabies Control), aims to unite relevant partners to address rabies prevention and control. With the initial goal of engaging 55,000 people to take action, one for each person who dies each year from rabies, the inaugural campaign saw nearly 400,000 people from at least 74 countries participating on September 8, 2007. The event was held again in 2008, but on September 28, instead of September 8 and September 28 has been used as the date to promote the event from that year onwards. More than 393,000 people participated and rabies education messages reached more than 50 million people on World Rabies Day in 2008. The result of this event was that there were enough funds to start grass-roots education and control projects in five countries. Various partners, including WHO and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, support World Rabies Day, which highlights the impact of human and animal rabies and promotes how to prevent and stop the disease by combating it in animals.

Events - Many communities and organizations around the world, including the World Health Organization (WHO), which is the UN’s directing and coordinating authority for health, and the Alliance for Rabies Control (ARC), actively promote various activities and events that center on World Rabies Day. Many government agencies and disease control centers that support World Rabies Day produce media kits, including posters, pamphlets, and press releases, to increase awareness about rabies and preventing the disease. Symposiums are also held on or around this time of the year to remember researchers who were pioneers in finding a rabies vaccination. Some associations and clinics offer free pet vaccinations and some organizations host competitions, such as t-shirt design contests to promote the event’s message.

Symbols - The World Rabies Day logo features a globe in blue and green, and the green shapes in the globe are that of a bat (left), human (center), and dog or canine figure (right).  The words “World Rabies Day” and the event’s date (month, day and year), typed in black, circle the outer part of the globe. These elements are kept within a black ring, completing the logo.

Holiday Status - It is not a public holiday.