Abstracto

Epidemiology of rabies in Pakistan: A review of literature.

Farida Bibi Mughal, Bibi Hajira Irshad Ali

Objective: This literature review aims to explore the risk factors, preventive measures and treatment options for people with rabies especially in Pakistan. Introduction: It is suggested that nearly 2,000 to 5,000 deaths been reported annually due to rabies, in Pakistan. It is estimated that above 30,000 people die each year because of rabies in Asia. One Asian expires every 15 minutes where 15% are probable to be the children under 15 years. Methods: Comprehensive and systematic literature search was undertaken by using various electronic research databases. Studies were eligible for this review if they were published in last twenty years in english language and focused on epidemiology, risk factors, consequences, prevention and treatment of rabies especially in Pakistan. Results: Rabies is a prevalent disease and there are so many barriers especially in Pakistan which led this issue to persist. Lack of awareness and improper vaccination of dogs are the major leading issues which are increasing the number of patients affected by rabies day by day. Conclusion: Results suggest that rabies is one of the common diseases in Asia and the root cause of which is lack of awareness and stray dogs especially in developing countries like Pakistan. Since this overlooked illness can lead to serious complications, the issue should be addressed to promote public health.