Azalu Workneh Wondimagegn, Jemberu Wudu Temesgen, Taye Bihonegn Wodajnew, Abebe Wassie Molla, Mekonnen Sefinew Alemu
Department of Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Gondar, P O Box196, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Bahir Dar University, P O Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
Pharmacoecon Open. 2025 Aug 24. doi: 10.1007/s41669-025-00601-2.
Rabies remains a significant threat to both public health and economic stability across many developing countries. The challenge of effectively managing and preventing rabies is compounded by insufficient quantitative data regarding its financial and health consequences. Despite Ethiopia being one of the most-affected countries in the world, data on the public health and economic burden of rabies are limited.
This research aimed to quantify both the health and economic burden of rabies in northwest Ethiopia.
Follow-up and recording of potential rabies cases were conducted for 18 months in seven districts of northwest Ethiopia. Data were collected from potential rabies cases using a pre-planned checklist. The health and economic burden were quantified using deterministic models. The study primarily adopted a household/patient perspective, focusing on the direct financial burdens faced by individuals and families.
In the follow-up period, approximately 353 individuals were recorded as rabies victims. Among them, 126 households with suspected rabies cases were treated with traditional medicine, while 60 individuals from 59 households received post-exposure prophylaxis. The annual premature death rate due to rabies was estimated to be 3.14 per 100,000 population. The annual years of life lost due to premature death was estimated to be 90.69 per 100,000 population. Years lived with disability due to rabies illness, disability due to post-exposure vaccine, and traditional treatment were estimated to be 0.68 per 100,000 population. The annual health burden of rabies was estimated to be 91.34 disability-adjusted life years per 100,000 people. The total cost for rabies control measures in humans was estimated to be United States (US) $11,474.66. On average, each household spent US $40.55 on post-exposure prophylaxis, with an annual cost of US $27.03 per household. Regarding livestock, the losses due to rabies were estimated to be US $29,599.85 annually, which translates to an approximate loss of US $274.07 per household per year.
The findings emphasise the need for targeted interventions to mitigate rabies' disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities, aligning with global efforts to eliminate the disease by 2030. A One Health approach that integrates rabies control in human and animal health is suggested.
狂犬病仍然对许多发展中国家的公共卫生和经济稳定构成重大威胁。关于狂犬病的财务和健康后果的定量数据不足，这使得有效管理和预防狂犬病的挑战更加复杂。尽管埃塞俄比亚是世界上受影响最严重的国家之一，但关于狂犬病的公共卫生和经济负担的数据却很有限。
本研究旨在量化埃塞俄比亚西北部狂犬病的健康和经济负担。
在埃塞俄比亚西北部的七个地区对潜在狂犬病病例进行了18个月的随访和记录。使用预先制定的清单从潜在狂犬病病例中收集数据。使用确定性模型对健康和经济负担进行量化。该研究主要采用家庭/患者视角，关注个人和家庭面临的直接经济负担。
在随访期间，约353人被记录为狂犬病受害者。其中，126户疑似狂犬病病例家庭接受了传统药物治疗，59户中的60人接受了暴露后预防。狂犬病导致的年过早死亡率估计为每10万人3.14例。因过早死亡导致的年生命损失年数估计为每10万人90.69年。因狂犬病疾病、暴露后疫苗接种导致的残疾以及传统治疗导致的残疾调整生命年估计为每10万人0.68年。狂犬病的年健康负担估计为每10万人91.34个残疾调整生命年。人类狂犬病控制措施的总成本估计为11474.66美元。平均而言，每户在暴露后预防方面花费40.55美元，每户每年成本为27.03美元。关于牲畜，狂犬病造成的损失估计每年为29599.85美元，这意味着每户每年约损失274.07美元。
研究结果强调需要采取有针对性的干预措施，以减轻狂犬病对弱势群体的不成比例影响，这与到2030年消除该疾病的全球努力相一致。建议采用“同一健康”方法，将狂犬病控制纳入人类和动物健康领域。
