Rabies in the United States in 2010

Blanton JD, Palmer D, Dyer J and Rupprecht CE. Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2010. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2011; 239: 773-83.

Rabies vaccination in El Salvador

Rabies continues to be a worldwide problem and an important public health concern. In the U.S., wildlife is the most important source of the causative virus, but spillover into domestic species does occur. This report summarizes the occurrences of rabies in the U.S. during 2010. During that year, 48 states and Puerto Rico reported 6,154 rabid animals and 2 human rabies cases to the Centers for Disease Control, representing an 8% decrease from the 6,690 rabid animals and 4 human cases reported in 2009. Hawaii and Mississippi did not report any laboratory-confirmed rabid animals during 2010. Approximately 92% of reported rabid animals were wildlife species. Relative contributions by the major animal groups were as follows: 2,246 raccoons (36.5%), 1,448 skunks (23.5%), 1,430 bats (23.2%), 429 foxes (6.9%), 303 cats (4.9%), 71 cattle (1.1%), and 69 dogs (1.1%). Interestingly, compared to 2009, rabies decreased in all species except cats, where there was a 1% increase. This reinforces the importance of vaccination of all cats against rabies. Two cases of rabies involving humans were reported from Louisiana and Wisconsin in 2010. Louisiana reported an imported human rabies case involving a 19-year-old male migrant farm worker who had a history of a vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) bite received while in Mexico. This represents the first human rabies case reported in the U.S. confirmed to have been caused by a vampire bat rabies virus variant. [MK]

Related articles: 
Compendium of animal rabies prevention and control, 2011. National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2011 Nov 4;60(RR-6):1-17. Free full text article.

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Blanton JD, Palmer D, Dyer J and Rupprecht CE. Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2010. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2011; 239: 773-83.

Rabies vaccination in El Salvador

Rabies continues to be a worldwide problem and an important public health concern. In the U.S., wildlife is the most important source of the causative virus, but spillover into domestic species does occur. This report summarizes the occurrences of rabies in the U.S. during 2010. During that year, 48 states and Puerto Rico reported 6,154 rabid animals and 2 human rabies cases to the Centers for Disease Control, representing an 8% decrease from the 6,690 rabid animals and 4 human cases reported in 2009. Hawaii and Mississippi did not report any laboratory-confirmed rabid animals during 2010. Approximately 92% of reported rabid animals were wildlife species. Relative contributions by the major animal groups were as follows: 2,246 raccoons (36.5%), 1,448 skunks (23.5%), 1,430 bats (23.2%), 429 foxes (6.9%), 303 cats (4.9%), 71 cattle (1.1%), and 69 dogs (1.1%). Interestingly, compared to 2009, rabies decreased in all species except cats, where there was a 1% increase. This reinforces the importance of vaccination of all cats against rabies. Two cases of rabies involving humans were reported from Louisiana and Wisconsin in 2010. Louisiana reported an imported human rabies case involving a 19-year-old male migrant farm worker who had a history of a vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) bite received while in Mexico. This represents the first human rabies case reported in the U.S. confirmed to have been caused by a vampire bat rabies virus variant. [MK]

Related articles: 
Compendium of animal rabies prevention and control, 2011. National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2011 Nov 4;60(RR-6):1-17. Free full text article.

More on cat health:
Winn Feline Foundation Library
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Rabies in Vaccinated Cats

Murray KO, Holmes KC, Hanlon CA: Rabies in vaccinated dogs and cats in the United States, 1997-2001, J Am Vet Med Assoc 235:691, 2009.

Rabies is one of the most well-known and oldest zoonotic diseases. The disease continues to be a major public health concern in the United States. World Rabies Day is recognized annually in the month of September to highlight this concern. Globally, 35,000 to 50,000 human deaths can be attributed to bites from rabid dogs, primarily in Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin American and India. The incidence of rabies in domestic animals in the United States has decreased substantially in the last 50 years, while the incidence in wildlife has increased. This retrospective study contains results from 21 states and indicates that rabies is uncommon in vaccinated dogs and cats but can still occur. Thirty-five laboratory-confirmed cases of rabies out of 1,104 cases involved dogs and cats with a history of rabies vaccination. This information included 2 dogs and 3 cats in which vaccinations were considered current. The clinical signs of rabies most often seen in cats include aggression, paralysis, and lethargy. Other signs include excitability, change in voice, loss of appetite, choking, difficulty swallowing, ataxia, tremors, and anorexia. The study concluded that veterinarians should include rabies in the differential diagnosis for any dog or cat with clinical signs compatible with rabies regardless of vaccination history. [VT]
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Blanton JD, Robertson K, Palmer D et al: Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2008, J Am Vet Med Assoc 235:676, 2009.
>> PubMed Abstract

Frymus T, Addie D, Belak S et al: Feline rabies. ABCD guidelines on prevention and management, J Feline Med Surg 11:585, 2009.
>> Free, full text

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook

Murray KO, Holmes KC, Hanlon CA: Rabies in vaccinated dogs and cats in the United States, 1997-2001, J Am Vet Med Assoc 235:691, 2009.

Rabies is one of the most well-known and oldest zoonotic diseases. The disease continues to be a major public health concern in the United States. World Rabies Day is recognized annually in the month of September to highlight this concern. Globally, 35,000 to 50,000 human deaths can be attributed to bites from rabid dogs, primarily in Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin American and India. The incidence of rabies in domestic animals in the United States has decreased substantially in the last 50 years, while the incidence in wildlife has increased. This retrospective study contains results from 21 states and indicates that rabies is uncommon in vaccinated dogs and cats but can still occur. Thirty-five laboratory-confirmed cases of rabies out of 1,104 cases involved dogs and cats with a history of rabies vaccination. This information included 2 dogs and 3 cats in which vaccinations were considered current. The clinical signs of rabies most often seen in cats include aggression, paralysis, and lethargy. Other signs include excitability, change in voice, loss of appetite, choking, difficulty swallowing, ataxia, tremors, and anorexia. The study concluded that veterinarians should include rabies in the differential diagnosis for any dog or cat with clinical signs compatible with rabies regardless of vaccination history. [VT]
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Blanton JD, Robertson K, Palmer D et al: Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2008, J Am Vet Med Assoc 235:676, 2009.
>> PubMed Abstract

Frymus T, Addie D, Belak S et al: Feline rabies. ABCD guidelines on prevention and management, J Feline Med Surg 11:585, 2009.
>> Free, full text

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook

Read More