Canine rabies in Australia: Modelling spread through the landscape

Abstract

Introduction: Canine rabies, a fatal viral zoonosis, is now less than 300 kilometres from Indonesian archipelago. To respond to this imminent threat, we need to model how rabies will spread through Australian ecosystems, to develop effective rabies management plans. This will improve our chances of minimising reaction times and containing outbreaks. Aims: To quantify contact rates, abundance, population turnover and dog bite frequency, in order to inform models of canine rabies spread. This is essential for identifying critical control points.