Introduction
Rabies is an acute encephalomyelitis caused by ribonucleic acid (RNA)
virus belonging to the Lyssavirus genus, Rhabdoviridaefamily [1]. About 99% of the transmission of the virus to humans
are due to the breach of the skin-mucosal barrier by biting, scratching
or licking infected animals, most often dogs [2]. Human-to-human
contamination is exceptional and is associated with organ or tissue
transplants from infected donors [3]. Although rabies is an ancient
zoonosis, it continues to be an important public health problem in many
developing countries [4].
Today,
it is still considered a neglected tropical disease, despite the fact
that it causes more than 59,000 human deaths each year in the world,
particularly in Asia and Africa [4,5]. Once declared clinically, it
is inevitably fatal [6]. In most of Africa, especially in West and
Central African countries, rabies notification is not mandatory, and
epidemiological data are scarce [7]. In Mauritania, enzootic rabies,
which is known to have existed for a very long time, periodically
affects animals and humans. Cases of death have been reported on several
occasions. The first reported cases occurred in 1963 in Nouakchott
(Trarza region). A man died of rabies after a cat bite in the throat,
and a woman died of rabies after a dog bite. Since then, sporadic cases
of human rabies have been reported in Mauritania in 1967, 1968,
1973-1975 and 1980 [8]. None of these cases have been confirmed with
laboratory diagnosis. These historical data need an update. We report
two cases of rabies encephalitis occurring after being bitten by stray
dogs.