Epizootic monitoring of rabies incidence in the Vinnytsia region

Abstract

Today, the entire territory of Ukraine is unfavorable for rabies, as a result of which we have one of the highest levels of rabies incidence among all European countries. Vinnytsia region remains one of the most disadvantaged regions in terms of rabies among both wild and domestic carnivores. However, the reasons for the permanently acute rabies epizootic situation in this territory remain poorly understood. The research materials included statistical data from the Main Department of the State Consumer Service in Vinnytsia region, reports of epizootic surveys of problematic areas regarding rabies; annual reports of food safety and veterinary medicine departments in districts, annual reports of the Vinnytsia Regional State Laboratory of the State Consumer Service, accompanying documents, and materials from primary veterinary records. From 2019 to 2023, 896 animals that died of rabies were found in Vinnytsia region. The most rabies cases among foxes are 427 heads (39 %), among dogs – 29 %. Among cats, 27 % (409 heads); among ruminants – 55 animals (7 %) fell ill and died from rabies. The ratio of conducted studies and positive results has increased in recent years, in 2019–2021 – 18 %, 13 %, 12 %, and in 2022–2023 – 26, 31 %. In 2023, during the examination of pat material from 250 dogs and cats that were received after death at the Vinnytsia Regional State Laboratory of the State Production and Consumer Service, rabies was confirmed in 95 animals, which is 38 % of those examined. Most sick dogs and cats with rabies were in March and October –14–12 animals (27 %). Most foxes with rabies after death were received in November – 12 heads (38 %) from the herd.