09/28/2026
September 28th is World Rabies Day, and we thought we would share some information about the rabies virus on a global scale.
To review, rabies is a zoonotic disease, meaning that humans and most other mammals can be infected with and transmit it. It impacts the central nervous system and eventually ends up in the brain. Once the rabies virus is in the central nervous system, there is no cure and it is fatal.
While rabies is more commonly found in wildlife in the US, it's not the case in other parts of the world. Dogs remain the most common means of infection in humans across the world. This occurs in areas where spaying and neutering dogs is less common and access to vaccinations and veterinary care even more so. Here in the US, strict rabies vaccination laws have nearly eradicated dog to human transmission of rabies, proving that rabies cases can be reduced and prevented through vaccines.
Rabies costs a global average of $8.6 billion through medical costs, loss of income, and other factors, but most importantly, it kills an estimated 59,000 people a year. It is speculated that this is grossly underestimated since so many cases may go unreported. Most of these deaths occur in Asia and Africa where access to medical care and vaccines is limited.
Since the only continent rabies has not been recorded on is Antarctica, we do not need to travel far from home to encounter it. 46 positive cases have been identified by the Maine State Lab, and that number does not include those tested from any other organizations within the state.
Please be diligent with keeping your dog and cat up to date on their rabies vaccines. If you're unsure of your pet's vaccination status, give us a call at 207-989-6531 and we can check for you!
For more information about rabies on a global scale, visit the WHO website at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/rabies =tab_1
