Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2005

During 2005, 49 states and Puerto Rico reported 6,417 cases of rabies in nonhuman animals and 1 case in a human being to the CDC, representing a 6.2% decrease from the 6,836 cases in nonhuman animals and 8 cases in human beings reported in 2004. Approximately 92% of the cases were in wildlife, and 8% were in domestic animals. Relative contributions by the major animal groups were as follows: 2,534 raccoons (39.5%), 1,478 skunks (23%), 1,408 bats (21.9%), 376 foxes (5.9%), 269 cats (4.2%), 93 cattle (1.5%), and 76 dogs (1.2%). Compared with numbers of reported cases in 2004, cases in 2005 decreased among all groups, except bats, horses, and other wild animals. Decreases in numbers of rabid raccoons during 2005 were reported by 10 of the 20 eastern states in which raccoon rabies was enzootic and decreased overall by 1.2%, compared with 2004. On a national level, the number of rabies cases in skunks during 2005 decreased 20.4% from the number reported in 2004. Once again, Texas reported the greatest number (n = 392) of rabid skunks and the greatest overall state total of rabies cases (741). Texas reported no cases of rabies associated with the dog/coyote rabies virus variant and only 8 cases associated with the Texas gray fox rabies virus variant (compared with 22 cases in 2004). The total number of cases of rabies reported nationally in foxes decreased 3.3%, compared with those reported in 2004. The 1,408 cases of rabies reported in bats represented a 3.5% increase over numbers reported in 2005. Cases of rabies in cats, dogs, cattle, and sheep and goats decreased 4.3%, 19.2%, 19.1%, and 10%, respectively, whereas cases reported in horses and mules increased 9.3%. In Puerto Rico, reported cases of rabies in mongooses increased 29.8%, and rabies in domestic animals decreased 37.5%. One case of human rabies was reported from Mississippi during 2005. This case was submitted by the state to the CDC's unexplained deaths project and diagnosed as rabies retrospectively.