ABSTRACT
This study aimed to describe for the first time the prevalence of the passively-reported rabies virus among different domestic and wild animals submitted to the Central Veterinary Laboratory from various areas in Yemen, and to study prevalence proportion ratios [PPR] that contributed to the spread of rabies among animals, and its transmission to humans. A brain sample was obtained from each of the 180 animals and tested for rabies virus by a direct fluorescent antibody test. Out of the total number of animals involved in attacks on humans, 63.3% were positive for rabies. Of these, dogs were the main animal involved in attacks with a percentage of 92%, of which 62.7% were positive for rabies. Of animals involved in attacks, 70.6% were males of which 60.6% were positive, and 29.4% were females of which 69.8% were positive. Males comprised 68.9% of the total human individuals attacked, of whom 62.9% were attacked by rabies-positive animals. The significant risk factors that contributed to the spread of rabies in general included the presence of poultry carcasses and other waste in the vicinity of the attacks [PPR = 9.5] with a percentage of 84.8%, followed by the time of year, in particular school vacations [PPR = 3.8] with a percentage of 78%. Rabies is endemic in Yemen with a very high rabies-positive rate for animals involved in attacks, particularly for stray male dogs. Male children were most often involved in attacks by rabies-positive animals. The presence of food waste [particularly poultry carcasses] and school vacation periods were found to correlate significantly with increased risk for human exposure to rabies