常与狗狗一起的要注意狂犬病

中国目前的狂犬病传染率很高，每年因狂犬病而死亡的人数仍然高于2000。近几年中国也成为狂犬病死亡率仅次于印度的第二大国家。但是理论上狂犬病是可以控制升值消除的，那中国出现这种状况的原因到底是什么呢？

Once a person is bitten by a rabid animal, like a dog or cat, enters the symptom period, there is almost no cure. Only a few survive the fatal disease.

China is the biggest rabies vaccine production and consumption country, with its rabies vaccine consumption representing 80 percent of the world's total. Yet, by contrast, the death toll from rabies in China is second only to India. Why is this?
Rabid animals, mostly dogs, are the source of infection. According to current statistics, there are currently about 100 million dogs in China, but most of the vaccines are only used on humans.

According to Zhang Xuechun, an expert on rabies at the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, this may be the key to the problem.

"The World Health Organization, or WHO, suggests that if 70% of dogs in a given area could be given the rabies vaccination, the infection rate can be effectively stopped in its tracks. There's a direct link between the vaccination rate of dogs and the human incidence rate, so the government should be reinforce the work on rabies vaccinations for dogs."

According to Zhang Xuechun, Beijing's rabies incidence rate remains low. There were no cases reported between 1994 and 2004 and the number has remained below 10 in recent years.

But Zhang Xuechun says that, with more and more people keeping pet dogs, the public's awareness of taking precautions to guard against rabies should be enhanced.

"Most people still believe that vaccination should be used only after being bitten by a dog. Actually, people with long term contact and exposure to dogs, they should have a precautionary vaccination. In that case, they only need a low dose rabies vaccination once they have been bitten, and it's safer. Currently, fewer than 1,000 people in Beijing have decided to have a precautionary vaccination in recent years. This number should be increased."

Zhang Xuechun says there are currently 114 rabies outpatient clinics in Beijing. They are in 24 hour operation. If people want to take their dogs to have them vaccinated they can contact the local agriculture department.

For CRI, I am Li Dong.