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A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
Date: Thu 2 Jul 2009
Source: IA Moscow news [trans, abbreviated, Mod.NP, edited]
According to RosSelhozNadzor (The Federal Agency for Veterinary and
Phytosanitary Supervision), the numbers of stray dogs and cats, the vectors
of rabies, have continued to increase throughout the Moscow region.
The number of rabies cases among animals during 2008 was 2.5 times their
number during 2007. 80 per cent of the cases involved wildlife, of which
the population growth is uncontrolled. The other 20 per cent involved pets.
During the 1st 5 months of 2009, 11 000 persons applied for post-exposure
treatment. This is an 11 per cent more than in the same period of 2008.
communicated by:
ProMED-RUS
[According to VmDaily
cases of human rabies have been recorded within the Moscow region since
1987; 9 of them died during the last 5 years. - Mod.NP
Clearly, the reservoirs of the virus in the Moscow region are wild animals;
according to previous postings, these are predominantly raccoon dogs
(_Nyctereutes procyonoides_) and foxes. Stray or unvaccinated pet dogs
(and, to a lesser extent, cats) exposed to wildlife deliver the fatal virus
into the human population.
The reported increase in the number of rabies cases in animals (probably
referring to both wildlife and domestic pets) deserves some explanation; it
could also reflect intensified monitoring. The increased number of exposed
(and subsequently treated) people may, however, reflect a growth in the
stray animal population or deficient vaccination coverage of pets.
Oral vaccination of wildlife is the recommended mode for spatial rabies
control. Several of the vaccines which have been long demonstrated as
highly effective and safe in controlling the disease in foxes -- in western
Europe and elsewhere -- have been tested in raccoon dogs as well, with
similarly satisfactory results. - Mod.AS]
