Epidemiology of Human Rabies in Thailand, B.E.2546-2550 (2003-2007 AD)

Authors

  • Teerasak Chuxnum Bureau of Epidemiology, Ministry of Public Health, Tivanond Road, Muang District, Nonthaburi 11000
  • Prawit Choomkasien Bureau of Epidemiology, Ministry of Public Health, Tivanond Road, Muang District, Nonthaburi 11000
  • Prasert Thongcharoen Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700

Keywords:

Human; rabies; epidemiology; Thailand

Abstract

In Thailand, rabies remains an important zoonotic disease due to its lethality in humans. Although the numbers of
human rabies cases have been steadily decreasing over the past ten years, the epidemiological situation has started to change.
Assessment of human rabies was based on the national infectious disease surveillance system from B.E. 2546-2550. There were
106 cumulative cases distributed in all four regions of Thailand. The highest mortality rates were found in the Central and
Southern regions. Dogs were the main reservoir with the highest percentage found in puppies younger than 3 months (45%).
Most of the causal dogs, and 61% of the dogs with owners had not received Rabies vaccination each year. The data strongly
revealed that most of the human rabies cases did not receive rabies vaccine after the animal contact or bite. Prevention and
control strategies should focus especially on the regions and provinces which had the highest number of cases, or on those
regions which continue to have incident cases each year. It is also essential to set up a better control of the animal population
which can potentially infect humans.

References

1. Division of Epidemiology, Ministry of Public Health. Annual summary 1981. Bangkok, Division of Epidemiology; 1982.
2. Bureau of Epidemiology, Ministry of Public Health. Communicable disease case definition. 2nd ed. Nonthaburi, Bureau of Epidemiology; 2003.

Downloads

Published

03-04-2020

How to Cite

Chuxnum, T. ., Choomkasien, P. ., & Thongcharoen, P. . (2020). Epidemiology of Human Rabies in Thailand, B.E.2546-2550 (2003-2007 AD). Siriraj Medical Journal, 63(3), 89–91. Retrieved from https://he02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/sirirajmedj/article/view/240918

Issue

Vol. 63 No. 3 (2011): May -June

Section

Original Article

License

Users are free to share, copy, and redistribute all articles published in the Siriraj Medical Journal (SMJ) in any medium or format as long as you follow the following terms:

  • Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the material, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the publisher endorses you or your use.
  • NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
  • NoDerivatives — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material.
  • No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.