Vets Concerned About Rabies Outbreaks Amid Vaccine Shortages

Veterinarians in the United States and other countries are grappling with animal welfare challenges amid ongoing gaps in rabies vaccine availability. The timing is problematic; a December 2023 study noted a spike in global rabies cases since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rabies accounts for 59,000 human deaths in more than 150 countries per year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It’s a disease that is nearly always fatal once symptoms start. Human transmission is usually from the bite, scratch, or lick of an infected animal. Post-exposure rabies vaccines for humans are critical. Around 60,000 Americans are bitten or scratched by a suspected rabies-carrying animal every year....