Classical rabies caused by RABV occurs worldwide besides some isolated countries and Western Europe that are regarded rabies free. Carnivores, especially of the canidae family represent the principal reservoir species and are responsible for the maintenance of the infectious cycle and hence for the ... presence of the disease (see Epidemiology of rabies). While wildlife rabies maintained by different reservoirs hosts predominantly occurs in the Northern hemisphere, canine rabies is by far more important for public health in the developing world. more

All lyssaviruses have evolved closely with distinct natural reservoir hosts. The latter are animals species in which a pathogen of an infectious disease are maintained independently. For lyssaviruses, these are a wide range of mammalian species within the Carnivora and Chiroptera (bats) orders with ... a global distribution. more