Rabies serology testing and related work at the Animal Health Research Institute

Ai Ping Hsu

Abstract

According to statistics compiled by the World Health Organization, approximately 60 thousand people die from rabies each year. In order to effectively control this deadly and communicable zoonotic disease, border control measures especially for domestic cats and dogs, are considered the cornerstone of any effective national rabies management project . Starting in 1993, the OIE recommended the adoption of serological testing in conjunction with rabies vaccinations as a replacement for quarantine and isolation measures. From 1993 2000, many countries began to implement similar measures and until recently, rabies serology testing has become a critical component for regulating the international movement of dogs and cats. We will present here, the development of rabies serological methods and how it became the internationally recognized standard for rabies monitoring and control; related work conducted at the AHRI will also be featured.