Rabies in Tanzania

Rabies takes an economic toll on Tanzania; costs due to rabies include medical expenses, control of infected dogs, and safety inspections in local communities. Rabies medication is also very expensive for the average Tanzanian.^[1]

Rabies is a fatal, preventable zoonosis that infects the central nervous system of mammals, caused by the lyssavirus.^[2] It is endemic in low income countries, causing an estimated 55,000 human deaths each year with over 98% of these deaths following bites from rabid dogs.^[3]

Cleaveland et al. (2002) estimated Tanzanian human rabies mortality at 1499 deaths per year, including unreported cases. There were only 193 reported cases, or 12% of the true number of people dying of rabies annually.^{[4][needs update]}

There have been some efforts to control rabies through vaccination of the disease sources, which include dogs and other wildlife.^[5] A study done in two districts of Ngorongoro and Serengeti studied the spread pattern of rabies where wildlife plays a role in disease transmission. Findings indicated that an annual dog vaccination campaign, achieving the WHO-recommended target of 70% coverage, would have a high chance of controlling rabies in Ngorongoro and Serengeti.^{[citation needed]}

• Kiffner, Christian; Latzer, Michelle; Vise, Ruby; Benson, Hayley; Hammon, Elizabeth; Kioko, John (3 December 2019). "Comparative knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding anthrax, brucellosis, and rabies in three districts of northern Tanzania". BMC Public Health. 19 (1): 1625. doi:10.1186/s12889-019-7900-0. PMC 6889212. PMID 31796011.
• WHO Rabies Modelling Consortium (11 October 2019). "Zero human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030: insights from modelling". Gates Open Research. 3: 1564. doi:10.12688/gatesopenres.13074.1. PMC 7308633. PMID 32596645.