The Rabies Epidemic in Trinidad of 1923 to 1937: An Evaluation with a Geographic Information System

Background.-Rabies, although not preeminent among current infectious diseases, continues to afflict humans with as many as 55,000 deaths annually. The case fatality rate remains the highest among infectious diseases, and medical treatments have proven ineffective. Objective.-This study analyzes the rabies epidemic of 1929 to 1937 in Trinidad from a geographical perspective, using Geographic Information System (GIS) software as an analytical tool. Setting. A small island developing country at a time when infectious diseases were rampant. Methods.-A review of the literature was undertaken, and data were collected on the occurrence of disease in both animal and humans populations and mapped using GIS software. Several factors identified in the literature were further explored such as land use/land cover, rainfall and magnetic declination. Results.-The bat rabies epidemic of 1923 to 1937 in Trinidad was migratory and seasonal, shifting to new locations along a definite path. The pattern of spread appears to be spatially linked to land use/land cover. The epidemic continues to present many unexplained peculiarities. Conclusion.-Despite the fact that this epidemic occurred almost 7 decades ago, the application of new tools available for public health use can create new knowledge and understanding of events. We showed that the spatial of distribution of the disease followed a distinct pathway possible due to the use of electromagnetic capabilities of bats.