Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2013

J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2014 Nov 15;245(10):1111-23. doi: 10.2460/javma.245.10.1111.

Abstract

During 2013, 53 reporting jurisdictions reported 5,865 rabid animals and 3 human rabies cases to the CDC, representing a 4.8% decrease from the 6,162 rabid animals and 1 human case reported in 2012. Ninety-two percent of reported rabid animals were wildlife. Relative contributions by the major animal groups were as follows: 1,898 raccoons (32.4%), 1,598 bats (27.2%), 1,447 skunks (24.7%), 344 foxes (5.9%), 247 cats (4.2%), 86 cattle (1.5%), and 89 dogs (1.5%). One human case was reported from Maryland. The infection was determined to have been transmitted via organ transplantation. Infection in the organ donor, a North Carolina resident, was retrospectively diagnosed. Both the organ donor and the organ recipient were infected with the raccoon rabies virus variant. The third human case, reported by Texas, involved a Guatemalan resident who was detained while crossing the US border. The infection was determined to be caused by a canine rabies virus variant that circulates in Central America.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Domestic
  • Animals, Wild
  • Cat Diseases / epidemiology
  • Cats
  • Cattle
  • Cattle Diseases / epidemiology
  • Chiroptera
  • Dog Diseases / epidemiology
  • Dogs
  • Equidae / virology
  • Foxes
  • Humans
  • Mephitidae
  • Organ Transplantation / adverse effects
  • Population Surveillance
  • Rabies / epidemiology
  • Rabies / veterinary*
  • Rabies Vaccines / administration & dosage
  • Rabies virus / classification
  • Rabies virus / isolation & purification
  • Raccoons
  • Sentinel Surveillance / veterinary
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Zoonoses

Substances

  • Rabies Vaccines