The epidemiology of rodent and lagomorph rabies in Maryland, 1981 to 1986

Records from the Maryland Public Health Department were screened for confirmed rodent and lagomorph rabies between 1981 and 1986. Questionnaires were designed for collection of information about events that led to the exposure of human and/or domestic animals to rabid rodent or lagomorphs. These species comprised 1.2% of all the reported rabies in the state. Woodchucks (Marmota monax) constituted 80.0% of all the reported rodent/lagomorph rabies cases in Maryland. The majority showed aggressive behavior (55.0%). Woodchucks exposed 15 persons (75.0% of all the exposures by rodents/lagomorphs). Domestic animal and human rabies exposure due to rodents and lagomorphs represents a small but significant number of the total exposure to rabid animals.