Report of the Fifth AREB Meeting: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 17–20 November 2008

The fifth annual Asian Rabies Expert Bureau (AREB) meeting, held in Vietnam, addressed how to increase rabies awareness and to improve rabies prevention and control. Active participation of Ministries of Health and Education was identified as crucial for the success of rabies programs, and World Rabies Day was considered as one of the best opportunities to increase rabies awareness. AREB strongly recommend implementation of pre-exposure prophylaxis for children living in rabies endemic areas. A review of national and international guidelines concerning rabies prophylaxis and their application in the Asian situation showed that some issues require further evaluation or clarification.