OBJECTIVETo summarize and analyze the epidemic situation of human rabies from 1984 to 2002 in China, and to explore the possible factors causing the increase of cases so as to provide evidence for preventive and control measures.

METHODNational and some provincial data on the prevalence of rabies during 1984 to 2002 were collected and analyzed.

RESULTSFrom 1984 to 1989, the annual reported cases were between 4 000 and 6 000 but decreased after 1990. In 1996, the reported cases decreased to the lowest level from 3 520 in 1990 to 159. However, number of reported cases has been continuously increasing since 1998 which reached 1 122 in 2002, a 7.06 times increase as compared to the number in 1996. The epidemic areas were mainly located in the southeast and southwest parts of the country, such as Sichuan, Hunan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Anhui, Fujian, etc. Furthermore, there was no significant seasonal distribution as it showed before.

CONCLUSIONSuch facts as the increasing numbers of dogs, low inoculation rate to dogs, poor control on the quality of rabies vaccine, mistreatment to the wounds, and lacking good cooperation between different official departments regarding rabies control might serve as important factors responsible for the recurrence of rabies. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on the above mentioned points and to take comprehensive preventive measures to bring down the prevalence of rabies in China.