19th World Rabies Day Highlights Vaccination Options

Since rabies is a viral disease that is almost always fatal following the onset of clinical signs, immediate action is the best solution. 2025 marks the 19th World Rabies Day with the theme "Act Now: You, Me, Communities."

For the first time in its 19-year history, the theme does not include the word "rabies," highlighting the well-established nature of this movement, wrote the World Health Organization (WHO) on September 28, 2025.

"Whether you are an individual, part of an organization, or a decision-maker, the time to act is now."

The WHO Global Health Observatory has been updated to include newly available rabies data, supporting data-driven policy and programming. This platform offers a clearer picture of global progress and remaining gaps in data and surveillance.

Globally, most rabies cases are attributed to dog bites, according to the WHO.

However, in the United States, most rabies infections in people are a byproduct of infected bat bites.

The U.S. CDC states that rabies post-exposure prophylaxis includes wound care, human rabies immune globulin, and a four-dose vaccine series.

As a preventive measure, Bavarian Nordic's RabAvert® rabies vaccine is often recommended by travel clinics and pharmacies in the U.S.