Chile has been officially recognized as the first country in South America to eliminate the transmission of rabies from dogs to humans, marking the result of more than five decades of prevention, vaccination and disease surveillance, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced Monday.
The WHO said Chile’s most recent reported case of rabies transmitted by a dog to a person dates back to 1972.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the achievement reflects Chile’s long-term commitment to protecting its population from rabies. He also noted that the country’s experience demonstrates the benefits of continued investment in public health and can serve as an example for other nations working to eliminate preventable rabies-related deaths.
Rabies is caused by a virus that is transmitted through the saliva of infected animals, most often following a bite. The virus can also enter the body when infected saliva comes into contact with the eyes, nose or mouth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Once symptoms of rabies develop, the disease is almost always fatal. However, infection can be prevented through vaccination, strong surveillance systems and rapid access to post-exposure prophylaxis following possible exposure.
Chile has maintained a long-standing national strategy aimed at preventing and monitoring rabies. As part of those efforts, authorities have conducted widespread vaccination programs for dogs and other pets, while also providing vaccines to people who may have been exposed to the virus, according to the WHO.
The country’s approach also included door-to-door vaccination drives for dogs, measures to control and manage the dog population, and public education campaigns designed to raise awareness about rabies prevention.
Speaking at a ceremony in Santiago marking the achievement, Chilean Health Minister May Chomali highlighted the collective work that contributed to the country’s success.
She said Chile’s public policy aimed at eliminating rabies had produced the outcome the country and its communities had been working toward. Chomali also emphasized the contribution of local communities and municipalities, where vaccination, public education and responsible pet management are implemented on the ground.
PAHO Director Jarbas Barbosa similarly praised Chile, saying its experience demonstrates the results that can be achieved when countries make sustained investments in vaccination, disease surveillance and access to medical care.
The progress made in the Americas has been significant. Human cases of dog-transmitted rabies have fallen by more than 98% since 1983, and only a small number of cases are now recorded each year.
Despite this progress, rabies remains a major global public health concern. The WHO estimates that the disease kills nearly 60,000 people worldwide each year, with dogs responsible for most infections that result in human deaths.
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