Caspian Journal of Veterinary Sciences

Caspian Journal of Veterinary Sciences

Rabies in animals with emphasis on dogs and cats compared to humans

Articles in Press

Document Type : Review article

Authors
Sepideh Asadi 1
Kosar Javareshkian 2
Hojjatollah Shokri 1
1 Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, Iran.
2 Faculty of Veterinary Science, Research and Science Branch, Tehran, Iran.
10.22034/cjvs.2026.585293.1074
Abstract
Despite over four thousand years of recognition and the availability of effective vaccines, rabies kills 59,000 people annually. Once clinical signs appear, the disease is always fatal. With urbanisation and changing patterns of human–animal contact, the role of dogs as the primary reservoir and the growing role of cats as spillover hosts in urban settings require updated evaluation. This review aimed to assess published evidence on rabies in animals and humans. A systematic search was conducted across five databases using terms including Rabies, carnivorous, zoonosis, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and catch-neuter-vaccinate-release (CNVR). Inclusion criteria: original studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and case reports. Exclusion criteria: studies with poor methodology and duplicate publications. Dogs account for > 99% of human rabies deaths in endemic countries. In some locations, cats are responsible for more human exposure incidents than dogs. The direct fluorescent antibody test remains the diagnostic gold standard; however, its sensitivity drops below 70% with degraded tissue. The direct rapid immunohistochemistry test is an alternative for low-resource settings. PEP is approximately 100% effective when administered correctly; failures are linked to delayed initiation or incorrect rabies immunoglobulin infiltration. Mass dog vaccination at ≥ 70% coverage, combined with CNVR, universal PEP access, and integrated epidemiological surveillance in a One Health framework, is the pathway to achieving Zero by 2030. Incorporation of cat vaccination into national rabies control programmes is urgently needed.
Keywords
Epidemiology
Host
One Health
PEP
Rabies
Subjects
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Caspian Journal of Veterinary Sciences

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 12 November 2026

  • Receive Date 08 June 2026
  • Revise Date 02 July 2026
  • Accept Date 02 July 2026