**4. Rabies distribution**

Currently, RABV is distributed globally and rabies infection is registered on all continents except Antarctica and, possibly, Australia. According to CDC data (https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/), the most (more than 90%) of all animal cases of rabies reported occur in wild animals; before 1960, most were in domestic animals. According to current data, the principal rabies hosts are wild carnivores and bats. Despite significant progress in the prevention and prophylaxis of rabies worldwide [9], rabies remains an important public health concern, especially in developing countries within Africa and Asia where rabies virus causes approximately 50,000 lethal cases per year [10]. Also, the official statistical data could be greatly underestimated due to the lack of systematic surveillance in some countries.
