Rabies in Nigeria: A review of literature

DT Ojo, VU Nwadike, KI Onyedibe, IE Kalu, KC Ojide

 

Abstract

Rabies, also known as hydrophobia is an acute, viral disease of all warm blooded animals including man. It is caused by the rabies virus (RABV), a bullet–shaped, enveloped RNA virus, 45-100 nm in diameter & 100-430 nm in length with projections and helical nucleocapsid, one of the better known encephalitis viruses of the family Rhabdoviridae and genus Lyssavirus type 1

It is a major public-health problem in most parts of the developing world. The domestic dog (Canis familiaris) plays a principal role (accounting for over 99%) as a reservoir and transmitter of the disease to humans. Developing countries account for almost all the reported human deaths (99.9%) and most cases of human post-exposure treatments. Rabies is an important public health problem especially in the developing countries and this articles aims to draw attention to this neglected disease.

Keywords: rhabdoviridae, rabies

Download full journal in PDF below

Rabies in Nigeria A review of literature