Rabies is considered an acute infectious disease transmitted from animals and can be transmitted from animals to humans or from humans to animals. According to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), rabies causes thousands of deaths each year in more than 100 countries.

No rabies vaccine can provide lifelong immunity. Currently, single-dose vaccines are available, but they only provide immunity for a limited period of time.

Rat-bite fever (RBF) is a rarely diagnosed, systemic illness caused by infection with Streptobacillus moniliformis, Streptobacillus notomytis, or Spirillum minus S. moniliformis, which causes most cases in the United States. Spirillum minus, primarily in Asia, is also known as Sodoku disease, although it may occur worldwide. S. notomytis infections are rarely reported.