狂犬病 發生實態 및 對策

Occurrence and Control of Rabies in Animals in Korea

The first official report on rabies in animals was recorded in 1907 in Korea. The duration from 1907 to present was divided into three periods according to the numbers of rabies cases and epidemiological aspects such as species of rabid animals and regional distribution of the outbreak. The first period named ‘frequent outbreak stage of rabies’ was designated from 1907 to 1945. At that time, there were lots of rabies outbreaks in Korea. Rabies had been occurred from 100 to 900 animals annually. For the control of rabies the phenol-glycerine inactivated rabies vaccines were inoculated to only limited numbers of dogs, about 4% of all dogs, and average 18,600 stray dogs were eliminated annually. The second period named ‘decrease and elimination stage of rabies’ was from 1945 to 1992. In this period about average 32 cases of rabies occurred annually from 1950 to 1984 but there was no rabies outbreak for 8 years from 1985 to 1992. Prominent decrease of rabies cases were mainly relied upon increase of vaccination rate in dogs and significant decrease of stray dogs. The type of rabies of both the first and second period was typical urban type which rabies of dogs are most prevalent. The third period named ‘reoutbreak stage of rabies’ has been begun since 1993 which rabies was reoccurred in dogs at chulwon county in Kangwon province neighbouring to demilitarized zone(DMZ).. After reoutbreak of rabies all rabies cases were occurred within six counties, two in Kyunggi and four in Kangwon province, which were located nearly to DMZ. In species of rabid animals, cases of cattle exceeded cases of dogs and two wild raccoons captured from rabies reoccurring areas were identified to be infected with rabies. Therefore wild animals including raccoons were suspected to be a origin of rabies of cattle and dogs. This type of rabies outbreaks was considered as rural type(wildlife type) comparing with previous urban type. Eight counties, four in Kyunggi and four in Kangwon province, were designated as the first prevention zone for blocking of rabies outbreaks in other parts of the county and strict vaccination policy for dogs and cattle has been carried out since 1994. Survey and research on rabies of wildlife in DMZ will be executed soon.