Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2013

Abstract

Summary 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.

Visitation rate and behavior of urban mesocarnivores differs in the presence of two common anthropogenic food sources

“…In our experience, homeowners typically provide cat food in some sort of dish or bowl, while bird seed is scattered below feeders. Raccoons and skunks are two of the most important terrestrial reservoirs for rabies in North America (Dyer et al 2014) and rabies has broken out repeatedly among skunks in the last decade in the Flagstaff neighborhoods we studied (Kuzmin et al 2012). Increased visitation and interaction at bird feeders or where domestic and feral cats are Fig.…”

“…However, in North America, rabies is an important disease that could be directly transmitted via contact among animals attracted to anthropogenic food sources. Rabies is a deadly disease transmitted via bite of an infected animal, and in North America skunks, raccoons and foxes are the primary wild terrestrial reservoirs for this disease (Dyer et al 2014). Cross-species transmission of rabies is common, and the potential for transmission from wild skunks, raccoons and foxes to unvaccinated pets and potentially to humans remains a widespread health concern in the USA, Canada and Mexico (Dyer et al 2014).…”

“…Rabies is a deadly disease transmitted via bite of an infected animal, and in North America skunks, raccoons and foxes are the primary wild terrestrial reservoirs for this disease (Dyer et al 2014). Cross-species transmission of rabies is common, and the potential for transmission from wild skunks, raccoons and foxes to unvaccinated pets and potentially to humans remains a widespread health concern in the USA, Canada and Mexico (Dyer et al 2014). Approximately 16,000-39,000 people in the United States are potentially exposed to rabies and receive postexposure prophylaxis annually (Vaidya et al 2010).…”

Duration of serum antibody response to rabies vaccination in horses

“…8 On the other hand, the incidence of rabies transmission by horses is low, compared with that by wildlife or domestic small animals. 2,9 Limited data are available on long-term durability of anti-rabies virus antibody in horses. Findings of studies [10][11][12] involving dogs and cats suggest that, for several pathogens, vaccine-induced immunity endures for at least 3 years after vaccination.…”

“…This is particularly important when considering that horses are considerably less likely to pose a public health risk for rabies transmission than are small domestic animals. 2 In addition, triennial vaccination protocols reportedly result in an increased number of dogs and cats vaccinated against rabies, compared with the number vaccinated through annual administration protocols. 43 Data from the 2005 National Animal Health Monitoring System 44 indicate that only 33.1% of equine operations had at least 1 equid to which a rabies vaccine had been administered within the previous 12 months.…”