Descriptive epidemiology from an epizootic of raccoon rabies in the Middle Atlantic States, 1982-1983

During 1982 and 1983, the Centers for Disease Control and cooperating Middle Atlantic States and local health departments collected data on 1,610 raccoons that were submitted for rabies testing and on 133 persons who received rabies postexposure prophylaxis as a result of exposure to wild animals. Raccoons were found most commonly in yards and residential areas. Raccoons that were killed by private citizens, animal-control personnel, or dogs had the highest positivity rate (70%), and those that were trapped had the lowest (9%). Raccoons that were found during the day or that exhibited abnormal behavior and those that had interacted with a domestic animal were more likely to be rabid. Examination of the data on human exposure disclosed that many exposures could have been avoided or prevented. Almost 50% of postexposure treatments were administered to persons whose actual risk of exposure was low or nonexistent.