The animal is not only a reservoir: rabies and the limits of one health
Abstract
Rabies demonstrates both the value and the limitations of the One Health approach as a public-health framework. Although mass dog vaccination and timely post-exposure prophylaxis can prevent human deaths, surveillance frequently underestimates disease burden, while control programs may treat dogs primarily as reservoirs or population denominators. Drawing together natural science, history, and anthropology, and narrating a remembered encounter with a rabid community dog named Lucky, this commentary examines what that framing overlooks. Epidemiology identifies transmission pathways and surveillance gaps; history reveals how ownership and administrative categories allocate responsibility; and anthropology shows how care, fear, and contested belonging influence reporting and cooperation. We argue that effective rabies control requires more than vaccination targets. Success should include zero human deaths, reduced canine rabies, equitable access to post-exposure prophylaxis, stronger surveillance, humane animal management, and public trust.
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BibTeX
@article{chakraborty2026animal,
title = {{The animal is not only a reservoir: rabies and the limits of one health}},
author = {Arnab Chakraborty and Janaka Jayawickrama and Naomichi Yamamoto},
journal = {Frontiers in Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2026.1994068},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1994068},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - The animal is not only a reservoir: rabies and the limits of one health
AU - Arnab Chakraborty
AU - Janaka Jayawickrama
AU - Naomichi Yamamoto
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/04
JO - Frontiers in Public Health
DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1994068
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1994068
AB - Rabies demonstrates both the value and the limitations of the One Health approach as a public-health framework. Although mass dog vaccination and timely post-exposure prophylaxis can prevent human deaths, surveillance frequently underestimates disease burden, while control programs may treat dogs primarily as reservoirs or population denominators. Drawing together natural science, history, and anthropology, and narrating a remembered encounter with a rabid community dog named Lucky, this commentary examines what that framing overlooks. Epidemiology identifies transmission pathways and surveillance gaps; history reveals how ownership and administrative categories allocate responsibility; and anthropology shows how care, fear, and contested belonging influence reporting and cooperation. We argue that effective rabies control requires more than vaccination targets. Success should include zero human deaths, reduced canine rabies, equitable access to post-exposure prophylaxis, stronger surveillance, humane animal management, and public trust.
SN - 2296-2565
ER -