Re-emergence of animal rabies in northern Greece and subsequent human exposure, October 2012 – March 2013

S Tsiodras; G Dougas; A Baka; C Billinis; S Doudounakis; A Balaska; T Georgakopoulou; G Rigakos; V Kontos; K E Tasioudi; M Tzani; P Tsarouxa; P Iliadou; O Mangana-Vougiouka; D Iliopoulos; S Sapounas; P Efstathiou; A Tsakris; C Hadjichristodoulou; J Kremastinou

doi:10.2807/ese.18.18.20474-en

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Re-emergence of animal rabies in northern Greece and subsequent human exposure, October 2012 – March 2013
S Tsiodras^1,2 , G Dougas¹ , A Baka¹ , C Billinis ³ , S Doudounakis⁴ , A Balaska¹ , T Georgakopoulou¹ , G Rigakos¹ , V Kontos⁵ , K E Tasioudi⁶ , M Tzani⁷ , P Tsarouxa⁷ , P Iliadou⁶ , O Mangana-Vougiouka⁶ , D Iliopoulos¹ , S Sapounas¹ , P Efstathiou⁸ , A Tsakris² , C Hadjichristodoulou⁹ , J Kremastinou^1,5
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Affiliations: ¹ Hellenic Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO), Ministry of Health, Athens, Greece ² National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece ³ School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece ⁴ Directorate General of Veterinary Services / Animal Health Directorate, Ministry of Rural Development and Food, Athens, Greece ⁵ National School of Public Health, Athens, Greece ⁶ Virology Department, Institute of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Athens Center of Veterinary Institutes, Ministry of Rural Development and Food, Athens, Greece ⁷ Department of Zoonoses, Animal Health Directorate, General Veterinary Directorate, Ministry of Rural Development and Food, Athens, Greece ⁸ National Health Operations Center of the Ministry of Health (EKEPY), Athens, Greece ⁹ Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Thessaly, School of Medicine, Larissa, Greece

Correspondence:
S Tsiodras
sotirios.tsiodras gmail.com
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Citation style for this article: Tsiodras S, Dougas G, Baka A, Billinis C, Doudounakis S, Balaska A, Georgakopoulou T, Rigakos G, Kontos V, Tasioudi K E, Tzani M, Tsarouxa P, Iliadou P, Mangana-Vougiouka O, Iliopoulos D, Sapounas S, Efstathiou P, Tsakris A, Hadjichristodoulou C, Kremastinou J. Re-emergence of animal rabies in northern Greece and subsequent human exposure, October 2012 – March 2013. Euro Surveill. 2013;18(18):pii=20474. https://doi.org/10.2807/ese.18.18.20474-en Received: 22 Apr 2013

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Abstract

Greece has been rabies-free since 1987 with no human cases since 1970. During 2012 to 2013, rabies has re-emerged in wild and domestic animals in northern Greece. By end March 2013, rabies was diagnosed in 17 animals including 14 red foxes, two shepherd dogs and one cat; 104 subsequent human exposures required post-exposure prophylaxis according to the World Health Organization criteria. Human exposures occurred within 50 km radius of a confirmed rabies case in a wild or domestic animal, and most frequently stray dogs were involved.