Medycyna Wet. 62 (6), 655-657, 2006
Smreczak M., Trębas P., Żmudziński J. F. |
Rabies in Poland in 2004 |
The paper describes the data concerning rabies in domestic and wildlife animals, including bats, in Poland in 2004. It analyses the distribution of rabies cases in individual animal species and the geographical distribution of rabies outbreaks. In 2004 131 rabies cases were diagnosed. Twenty three were recorded in domestic animals, 99 in wildlife and 9 were found in bats. The highest incidence of rabies was registered in the Wielkopolska voievodship (Western Poland). All cases recorded in the Masuria voievodship (Northern Poland) were noticed along the Russian and Lithuanian border. In the voievodship of Lublin (Eastern Poland) the incidence of rabies was distributed evenly throughout the area, while in the Subcarpathian province, along the Ukrainian border. In the Pomeranian voevodship (Northern Poland) all rabies cases were clustered in only one county (Kartuzy), which is characterized by a high percentage of forests and lakes. Epidemiological analysis shows that each year a significant decrease of diagnosed rabies cases is observed. This is the result of oral vaccination of red foxes against rabies, but the red fox is still the main reservoir of rabies for the other wildlife and domestic animals. Oral vaccination as a method of eradication of rabies should to be carried out in the next years. It is necessary to pay attention to the planning of oral vaccination campaigns, especially in the Wielkopolska voievodship. This means more baits per 1 km2 and around rabies outbreaks. |
Keywords: rabies, epidemiological situation |