INTRODUCTION

In the United States, rabies is primarily a disease of animals and rarely occurs in humans. During 1980–2004, a total of 56 cases of human rabies were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States. The majority of cases were associated primarily with silver-haired and eastern pipistrelle bats. The decline of rabies in developed countries is attributed to control of the disease in domestic animals, as well as effective pre- and postexposure vaccination programs.

EPIDEMIOLOGY

The epidemiology of human rabies for a specific geographic region is related to the prevalence of rabies in animals, and the extent of human contact with them. In the United States, rabies is most commonly reported in animals such as raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes. Other animals that can potentially transmit the disease include bobcats, coyotes, and mongooses. Smaller mammals such as squirrels, rabbits, mice, and rats are considered to be at a lower risk for transmitting the disease. If infected, these animals often succumb to the disease, and therefore have a very limited chance of spreading the disease. Nonmammalian bites (e.g., birds and reptiles) pose no risk of rabies transmission.

In the United States, dogs, cats, ferrets, and livestock are considered to be at a lower risk of being infected with rabies virus because of effective vaccination practices.