[Rabies in Poland in 2005]

In Poland 138 cases of animal rabies were reported in 2005. Mass oral vaccination of wild animals against rabies, which was introduced in 1993, has had a visible positive impact on the epizootic situation of rabies in Poland. In 2005 we observed about a twenty two-fold decrease in number of animal rabies cases in comparison with the year 2001. The outbreak of animal rabies, which started in 2001 in Wielkopolskie voivodeship, was still present but it is limited. Sources of wild and domestic animal rabies are mainly present in the north-east (56% of rabies cases) and south-east of the country. Out of 7 278 persons vaccinated in Poland against rabies, 209 (3%) were bitten by or had contact with a rabid animal. The main reason for vaccination against rabies was exposure to an animal category C--rabies not excluded (6293 cases, 86%) or category D--animals healthy at the moment of the exposition (776 cases, 10%).