History of Rabies in Mexico

The colonization of the Americas continues to be studied. Findings point to the existence of human settlements in Mexico at the end of the Last Glacial Maximum. In this context, American dogs, before European contact, originate from a Siberian lineage. To understand the phenomenon of rabies in Mexico, it is important to know the background of this zoonosis in the country. There are records of the first rabies epizootic in Mexico City in 1709. At the time of the Spanish conquistadors, the dog was part of everyday life, coupled with the belief that these animals accompanied the dead to the underworld. In the nineteenth century, the first rabies vaccine was used for humans and dogs in Mexico, also creating a Rabies Institute, applying the first biologic to a 12-year-old boy. In the second decade of the twentieth century, the first mandatory vaccination of dogs was conducted. Towards the end of that century, biologics derived from cell cultures and homologous immune globulin were introduced for the prophylaxis of patients exposed to rabies virus. In the twenty-first century, studies on other canine biologics have been developed with the cooperation of international partners, to define new strategies for the prevention and control of this disease. These efforts, with the support of public policy, achieved a milestone. Since 2006, there have been no cases of human rabies transmitted by dogs. During 2019, the WHO recognized Mexico as a country that has eliminated dog-transmitted human rabies. Similarly, the last case of canine rabies by the V1 viral variant was registered in 2016. Mexico has participated as a founding Steering Committee Member in the International Conference on Rabies in the Americas (RITA) since 1990. In 1992, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2007, the Ministry of Health coordinated and organized this event. For the 2010 and 2014 meetings RITA was held in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture. In 2020 and 2022, the conferences were the first fully online event (due to the COVID-19 pandemic), and the first hybrid meeting in RITA history.