On the occasion of World Rabies Day, established on September 28, the anniversary of Louis Pasteur's passing, the Institut Pasteur de Tunis gathered experts from the Institut Pasteur in Paris, the Institut Pasteur d’Algérie, Libya’s National Centre for Animal Health and the Ministry of Public Health of Chad for a two-day seminar on the theme.

The continuity of Louis Pasteur's legacy is all the more important because, although France is free from terrestrial rabies, this viral zoonosis still causes approximately 60,000 deaths annually around the world, mainly in Asia and Africa, according to the World Health Organization.

To achieve the "Zero by 30" goal of eradicating human rabies transmitted by dogs by 2030, set by the WHO, the key phrase is "Stronger Together" – the seminar's slogan! The "quest for the last rabid dog" must be organized collectively under a One Health approach, involving the vaccination of animals to eliminate the epidemiological cycle of rabies at its source, preventing populations, post-exposure prophylaxis, and empowering as many people as possible through community leaders.

This regional meeting provided an opportunity to take stock of the endemic situation in North Africa, share best practices for surveillance and prevention, and discuss recent scientific advancements, such as rapid diagnostic tests and potential treatments for animals – and, should clinical trials someday occur, for humans – who have not received post-exposure prophylaxis and are developing early symptoms.

This seminar was also an opportunity for Dr. Maryem Jebali, the first recipient of the Charles Nicolle Scientific Chair, to present the initial results of her phylogenetic study conducted following her internship at the Institut Pasteur in Paris to better understand the dynamics of dispersion and persistence of rabies in Tunisia.

As a reminder, the Charles Nicolle Scientific Chair aims to strengthen scientific cooperation between Tunisia and France by supporting the mobility of a young researcher from the Institut Pasteur of Tunis to the campus of the Institut Pasteur (Paris) and integrating them into one of its units for 3 to 6 months. The next funding call will be launched shortly for the first half of 2027.

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