According to a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, three in every four animal bites in India are caused by dogs, contributing to over 5,700 human deaths annually due to rabies. The study, conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), ran a nationwide, community-based survey from March 2022 to August 2023, covering 60 districts across 15 states.
The survey, which involved 78,800 households and 3,37,808 individuals, gathered detailed information on animal bites, anti-rabies vaccinations, and deaths linked to animal bites. Researchers, including those from the ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai, found that 76.8% of the reported animal bites (1,576 out of 2,000 cases) were from dogs. This indicates that dog bites are the leading cause of animal bites in the country.
The study further revealed that approximately 6 out of every 1,000 people experience an animal bite annually, translating to an estimated 9.1 million bites nationwide. The researchers estimated that 5,726 human deaths occur annually in India due to rabies.
These findings are crucial for assessing whether India is on track to meet the global target of eliminating dog-mediated rabies by 2030, as outlined by the World Health Organization through its Zero by 30 initiative launched in 2018.
Despite a decline in rabies deaths over the past two decades, India remains home to a third of the world’s rabies-related fatalities. The researchers emphasized the need for urgent action to control the spread of rabies, advocating for a one-health approach that integrates human and animal health surveillance.
Key actions include:
- Timely administration of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
- Accelerated vaccination of dogs
- Strengthening public awareness campaigns
The study also noted that, of those bitten by dogs, over 20% did not receive any anti-rabies vaccination, and nearly half of the individuals who received one dose of the vaccine did not complete their full vaccination course. Furthermore, two-thirds of the bite victims received at least three doses of the vaccine.
The researchers concluded that while progress has been made in reducing rabies deaths, more aggressive steps are needed to meet the global target and to prevent further fatalities from rabies in India.
