Rabies
A viral disease of mammals causing fatal brain inflammation. Preventable by vaccination. Australia and New Zealand are rabies-free; many countries require vaccination.
Rabies is one of the most consequential zoonotic diseases — transmitted from animals to humans, almost always fatal once symptoms appear. Transmission is usually via bite from an infected mammal.
Australia and New Zealand are rabies-free, with strict biosecurity to keep them that way. The UK has been rabies-free since 1922, though imported cases occasionally appear. Most of the rest of the world has endemic rabies, with India, parts of Africa, and South-East Asia carrying the highest burden.
Rabies vaccination is required for pets crossing many international borders. The schedule typically involves an initial vaccine followed by blood titer testing to confirm immunity, then ongoing boosters. International pet travel requires planning months in advance.
In endemic countries, rabies vaccination is part of core puppy/kitten vaccines. In rabies-free countries, it is administered only for export or specific exposure-risk situations.