[Rabies in Poland in 2001]

In Poland in 2001, no case of human rabies was reported. Mass oral vaccination of wild animals against rabies, which was introduced in 1993, seems to show a positive impact on the epizootic situation of rabies in Poland. However, this year is the second one when we observed an increase in number of animal rabies cases. This year outbreak of animal rabies starts in Wielkopolskie voivodeship where we observed six-fold increase of animal rabies cases. Moreover sources of wild and domestic animal rabies are present on the north-east, east, and south-east of the country. Out of 9210 persons vaccinated in Poland against rabies, 3080 (33%) were bitten by or were in contact with a rabid animal. Main reason for vaccination against rabies was exposure to an animal category C--rabies not excluded (6747 cases, 73%) or category D--animals healthy at the moment of an exposition (1147 cases, 12%).