What Do 12 Years of Data Reveal About Rabies and Animal Bite Trends in Limpopo?
Rabies is a viral zoonotic disease caused by the rabies virus and is primarily transmitted to humans through the saliva of infected animals. Transmission occurs via bites, scratches, or contact with mucous membranes and open wounds. The disease presents with severe neurological symptoms and is almost invariably fatal once clinical signs appear.
In many regions worldwide, domestic dogs are the main source of human rabies infections. Prevention in dogs is achievable through vaccination, while humans exposed to potential infection can receive rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
In South Africa, rabies remains endemic in domestic dogs and certain wildlife reserves. Most human rabies cases are linked to rabid domestic dogs, making veterinary health services pivotal. Targeted mass vaccination efforts focus on high-risk provinces including KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and Limpopo. Close collaboration between veterinary and human health sectors enhances surveillance, improves access to PEP, and supports public awareness campaigns essential to disease elimination.
The 2005–2006 rabies outbreak in Limpopo’s Vhembe District led to 21 confirmed and five probable human deaths, prompting intensified collaboration and interventions such as domestic animal vaccination, community education, and improved PEP availability. These measures contributed to a decline in rabies incidence in the region. Despite this progress, rabies still presents a public health burden in Limpopo and other regions.
This study examines the incidence of animal bites and human rabies cases treated in Limpopo’s public health facilities between January 2011 and December 2023.
Materials and Methods
Data on animal bites were obtained from the Limpopo Department of Health’s Public Health Programmes Directorate, which compiles weekly aggregated data on priority health conditions received via email from district health offices. The district office reports incidents from all public health facilities. These data are consolidated into a provincial dataset, which is reviewed and validated by the surveillance manager to ensure accuracy.
Human rabies is categorised as a notifiable medical condition (NMC) in South Africa, requiring notification to the NMC surveillance system within 24 hours of diagnosis. Data was sourced for confirmed, probable, and suspected human rabies cases from the Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases (CEZPD) of the NICD. The CEZPD conducts laboratory investigations of suspected cases.
Results
Over the 13-year study period, a total of 98,743 animal bite cases were reported in Limpopo Province, corresponding to an overall incidence of 131 per 100,000 population. The median number of cases per year was 7,179 (IQR: 6,518–9,607). Peak incidence rates occurred in 2018 (181 per 100,000), 2014 (171 per 100,000), and 2019 (162 per 100,000).
Vhembe District consistently recorded the highest number of animal bite incidents, accounting for 64% (n = 63,153) of all reported cases.
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