Outbreaks and Control of Animal Rabies in Korea / 감염과화학요법

ABSTRACT

Since rabies virus infection is fatal for both human and animals, the protective immunization by vaccines against animals is a critical importance for disease prevention and control. In Korea, recurrence of sylvatic rabies was reported in Gangwon province, which is the northern border area in 1993. During the years of 1994-2009, 417 animal rabies cases were registered in Gangwon and Gyeonggi provinces. The national animal rabies eradication program has performed to reduce rabies outbreaks by annual vaccination of dogs and cattle since 1995, and the oral vaccination of raccoon dogs with annual vaccinia-rabies glycoprotein (V-RG) bait vaccine. Additionally, serological surveillance on domestic animals has been executed since 1999 to monitor the anti-rabies antibody titers from Gangwon and Gyeonggi provinces where the vaccination campaign has been implemented.