More than 99% of all human rabies deaths occur in the developing world and although effective and economical control measures are available the disease has not been brought under control throughout most of the affected countries. Given that a major factor in the low level of commitment to rabies control is a lack of accurate data on the true public health impact of the disease this report of a WHO Expert Consultation begins by providing new data on the estimated burden of the disease and its distribution in the world. It also reviews recent progress in the classification of rabies viruses rabies pathogenesis and diagnosis rabies pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis the management of rabies patients and canine as well as wildlife rabies prevention and control. The information in this report should be considered the most current data on rabies prevention and control and supersedes that of the report of the first WHO Expert Consultation on Rabies published in 2005.