[NN] Is rabies partly hype?

I'm thinking about the statistics for rabies in humans and wondering how it can be so low - only 27 cases reported in humans since 1990 (in the US). When you think about kids handling wildlife, knowing that if they report a bite to a parent they may have to get a series of painful shots, people who got bitten and waited too long to get the shots, just plain dumb people who get bitten and don't know they should tell anyone - I can't fathom that only 27 people got it in the last almost 20 years.

Also, the vaccine is not 100% effective. I've read some reports that only the 1 year shots work so the new 7 year shots may not prevent rabies as well as people think, yet if an animal has shots the preventative shots are not given to bite victims.

Also, if some can carry it asymptomatically for a year or more, then doesn't that mean the immune system can fight it off, or hold it at bay? What about the animals who are "vectors" - wouldn't they just all die off, ending rabies forever, if it were so deadly?

It just occurred to me, something seems a little fishy there.

On the other hand, at $50 a pop, rabies vaccination is quite a money-maker for vets.

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