Two Women, Two Different Pathways, and Rabies as a Scenario for Their Professional Lives

Abstract

Throughout Brazil’s history, rabies perpetuated in domestic animals and in wildlife. This is a narrative of two professional women (Drs. Luzia Helena Queiroz and Marilene Fernandes de Almeida) who focused their lives upon disease surveillance, prevention and control in a large, diverse South American country. In this chapter, they describe their journey, how they took slightly different pathways, but pursued the same dream: to dedicate themselves to the study and research on rabies. They relate how rabies entered their lives, the critical mentors who taught them about rabies, and guided their careers. In turn, each reflects upon the students they mentored and their collective contributions to the rabies field. Besides applied research and diagnostic testing, both also concentrated upon local health education and rabies awareness activities, particularly directed to children. Although born in different places and attending distinct schools, they finally began collaborations on rabies near the zenith of their careers. As a result, one of the dual fruits of their labors was a coauthored book on the long history of this zoonosis in Brazil.