Spatiotemporal analysis of animal rabies cases in Indonesia using World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) Data (2006-2023): Trends, hotspot provinces, species distribution, and One Health implications

Abstract

Background and Aim: Rabies remains a persistent zoonotic threat in Indonesia, where dogs are the primary reservoir driving animal-to-human transmission. Despite longstanding control efforts, the country continues to report fluctuating rabies incidence with increasing public health and economic burdens. This study aimed to analyze 17 years of animal rabies data from the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) to identify temporal patterns, hotspot provinces, species distribution, and vaccination coverage, and to highlight gaps relevant for strengthening One Health-based rabies control in Indonesia. Materials and Methods: A retrospective descriptive analysis was conducted using WAHIS quantitative data from 2006-2023. Records were filtered by country (Indonesia), disease (rabies virus infection), province, and animal species. Data were cleaned, standardized, and categorized by year, province, species, and vaccination status. Visualization was performed using Python (bar charts and heatmaps) and ArcGIS (choropleth maps). Descriptive tables were generated in SPSS. Analyses were limited to 2023 due to Indonesia's transition to aggregated national reporting from 2021 onward. Results: A total of 17 years of animal rabies data revealed pronounced annual fluctuations, with major peaks in 2013 (1,117 cases), 2016 (1,288), 2019 (1,943), 2022 (1,361), and 2023 (1,817). Five provinces, Sumatera Barat (1,538), Sulawesi Selatan (1,494), Bali (1,381), Riau (1,264), and Sulawesi Utara (1,001), emerged as long-term hotspot regions. Dogs accounted for most rabies cases (15,906), with recurring peaks across multiple years, whereas cats (542 cases), cattle, swine, primates, and wildlife exhibited sporadic but epidemiologically relevant cases. Vaccination data were scarce and inconsistent; only 16 provinces reported dog vaccination, with Bali contributing the highest number (512,203 vaccinated dogs). Cat vaccination (0.72% of total vaccinations) was minimally reported. Conclusion: Rabies remains endemic in Indonesia with considerable interprovincial disparities and repeated surges linked to limited vaccination coverage and inconsistent surveillance. The dominance of dog-mediated transmission underscores the need for sustained mass dog vaccination, strengthened provincial reporting, and coordinated One Health strategies that integrate veterinary, human health, and environmental sectors. Improved transparency and routine submission of disaggregated rabies data to WAHIS are critical for achieving national and global rabies elimination goals.