According to information from the Mê Linh District Health Center (Hanoi), recently, six people in the area were bitten by a dog, including five individuals from Mê Linh commune and one from Hoàng Kim commune. Notably, authorities conducted tests and found that the dog was positive for the rabies virus.
A dog owned by a family in Liễu Trì village exhibited symptoms of rabies and bit six people consecutively. (Photo: Getty).
Rabid dogs or domestic dogs infected with rabies show symptoms of the disease and often attack (typically through bites), causing fatalities in humans due to direct transmission of the rabies virus.
The rabies virus has long been a latent threat to public health, resulting in thousands of deaths each year. Most of the aforementioned cases are due to a lack of timely and proper treatment.
The Terrifying Disease Transforming Dogs
Rabies is one of the oldest diseases known in history, with cases recorded dating back approximately 4,000 years.
Throughout those 4,000 years, the method of rabies transmission has remained unchanged: it comes from a type of enveloped RNA virus that measures 180 x 70 nm, belonging to the Lyssavirus genus within the Rhabdoviridae family.
Image depicting a rabid dog. (Photo: NIH).
This virus is present in the saliva of infected hosts – typically loyal pets like dogs and cats – and is then transmitted to uninfected organisms (humans).
The danger of this virus lies in its ability to make animals, regarded as “man’s best friend,” easily agitated, autonomously dysfunctional, leading to aggressive behavior that can turn against us.
This phase manifests through several observable symptoms, such as the host becoming restless, unable to sit still, difficulty swallowing food, hoarse vocalizations, abrupt barking, and ultimately escalating to eerie howling.
The later stages are even more frightening, as the animal’s eyes become bloodshot, drooling foam around the mouth. At this point, any minor stimulus can trigger the animal to go rabid, attacking humans and other animals.
Rabies is considered a dangerous disease because once the first clinical signs appear, there is no effective treatment. At one time, rabies was so feared that many individuals committed suicide after being bitten by an animal capable of transmitting the disease.
A Latent Threat to Public Health
A patient experiencing rabies symptoms. (Photo: Wikipedia).
An important variable in controlling rabies depends on human factors, including dog ownership, care practices, and knowledge about the disease.
According to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), over 95% of rabies cases leading to human fatalities occur in Africa and Asia. This figure indicates that rabies remains a significant latent threat to public health in developing countries and those transitioning to urbanization.
As is known, part of the urbanization process is increasing the presence of traditional pets in households. This includes the emergence of apartment complexes or clusters of buildings, where the rate of interaction between humans and dogs rises, especially in playgrounds, recreational areas, and parks.
What is concerning is that the rise in pet ownership in developing countries does not correlate with knowledge about dog care or zoonotic diseases.
A study assessing knowledge and awareness about zoonotic diseases in Brazos County, Texas (USA), demonstrated that even in developed countries, many people still lack awareness of diseases transmitted from animals to dogs, which can severely impact the health and lives of these animals.
It is important to understand that most factors causing dog bites relate to the responsibility of dog owners. This includes not only knowledge of pet care and protection but also awareness about leash laws and muzzling dogs in public spaces.
Rabies transmission in the community partially relates to the responsibility of dog owners. (Photo: Getty).
Education is considered a crucial factor in preventing and controlling rabies. Teaching primary school and early secondary school students about rabies and post-bite management can yield long-term benefits.
Additionally, controlling imported animals is also an important factor. In Australia, the only country without rabies in dogs, all imported animals must comply with strict quarantine requirements, including vaccinations for dogs and cats from all affected countries.
Up until 1987, Australia recorded only one case of rabies, which came from a tourist. Subsequently, in 1990, another rabies case was diagnosed in a 10-year-old Vietnamese girl after she had lived in Australia for nearly five years.
In many parts of the world, task forces for rabies prevention and control have been established to bring together health experts and scientists to review current policy frameworks and promote a multidisciplinary approach among national agencies regarding the monitoring and control of rabies.
There, any mitigation efforts emphasize: The most important rabies reservoir is domestic dogs. Therefore, only by vaccinating dogs and controlling dog populations can countries significantly reduce rabies transmission to humans.
