Fifteen-year epidemiological profile of animal rabies in the Marmara region of Türkiye: Evidence for a wildlife-livestock spillover cycle

Rabies remains a significant endemic disease in Türkiye, showing evolving transmission dynamics despite intensive control efforts. This retrospective study investigates the epidemiological characteristics of animal rabies in the Marmara Region, a critical transitional zone, from 2010 to 2024. A total of 4,017 brain samples obtained from passive surveillance were examined using the fluorescent antibody test (FAT). Partial sequencing of the G gene was performed on selected positive samples to determine viral lineages. Of the examined samples, 651 (16.2%) were confirmed positive. The findings characterize a distinct epidemiological shift from historical dog-mediated transmission toward a sylvatic cycle spilling over to livestock. Cattle accounted for the majority of confirmed cases (65.7%), with infections clustered in provinces characterized by extensive forest-pasture interfaces. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that circulating viruses belonged to the Cosmopolitan-Middle East 2 (ME2) subclade. Following the implementation of nationwide oral rabies vaccination (ORV) campaigns, a marked reduction in laboratory-confirmed rabies cases was observed across the Marmara Region. Wildlife-associated cases declined to zero detections after 2020, accompanied by a parallel decrease in rabies cases among domestic animals. These findings indicate substantial suppression of rabies circulation consistent with the impact of ORV, although continued surveillance is required to confirm sustained control. These results demonstrate that ORV campaigns have successfully suppressed viral circulation in wildlife reservoirs and reduced spillover to livestock in the Marmara Region. However, the persistence of sporadic cases highlights the necessity of sustained wildlife vaccination and enhanced surveillance within a One Health framework to achieve permanent elimination.