Excretion of Street Rabies Virus in the Saliva of Dogs

Abstract

Dogs, of all domestic animals, are the most common source of human rabies.¹ In the United States, 600,000 to 1,000,000 people are bitten by dogs each year.² Of the 212 human deaths from rabies from 1946 to 1959, where the species of biting animal was known, 84% were attributed to dogs.¹ The total number of reported human deaths due to rabies in this period markedly decreased.³ Because the United States' population of dogs increased from about 12 million in 1946¹ to approximately 25 million in 1960,⁴ and is possibly still increasing, it is reasonable to expect that in the next decade many more physicians will have to decide whether or not to administer antirabies treatment to a person who has been bitten by a dog. As part of this decision the physician will have to consider carefully the evidence for true exposure to rabies