Rabies surveillance in the United States during 1993

Abstract

Summary In 1993, 49 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico reported 9,495 cases of rabies in nonhuman animals and 3 cases in human beings to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Greater than 93% (8,889 cases) were wild animals, whereas 6.4% (606 cases) were domestic species. The total number of reported cases increased 9.9% over that of 1992 (8,645 cases), with most of the increase resulting from continued spread of rabies in raccoons (37.1% increase in reported cases over 1992). The 2 epizootics of rabies in raccoons (Northeastern/mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions) approach convergence in North Carolina (106 cases of rabies in 1993, compared with 49 in 1992). Maine, Rhode Island, and Vetmont remained the only New England states without reported cases associated with the raccoon variant of the rabies virus. New York reported 2,747 cases of rabies, the largest number of cases ever reported during a single year by any state. Increases in reported cases of rabies in Texas and 8 other geographically dispersed states were attributed mainly to larger numbers of reported cases of rabies in bats. Texas reported 71 of the 74 cases in coyotes during 1993 (70 of 75 cases in 1992). Nationally, reported cases of rabies in dogs (130) and cattle (130) each decreased by 29% in 1993, whereas cats (291 cases in 1993, compared with 290 in 1992) continued to be the domestic animal most frequently reported rabid. Twenty-two states and Puerto Rico reported decreases in rabies in animals in 1993, compared with 20 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico in 1992. Hawaii was the only state that did not report a case of rabies in 1993.