Rabies, 2015

In Minnesota, the animal reservoir for rabies are skunks and multiple bat species. Dogs, cats, and livestock are generally exposed to rabies through encounters with skunks. Vaccinating them for rabies provides a buffer between wildlife and people.

In 2015, 28 (1.4%) of 1,999 animals tested were positive for rabies. This is similar to 2014, when 33 (1.4%) of 2,291 animals tested were positive. The majority of positive animals in 2015 were bats (16/28 [57%]), followed by skunks (8/28 [29%]), cats (2/28 [7%]), cattle (1/28 [4%]), and foxes (1/28 [4%], [Figure 5]). There were no human cases of rabies. From 2003 to 2015, 743 (2.4%) of 31,193 animals tested were positive for rabies. The median number of rabies positive animals identified annually was 59 (range, 28 to 94).

From 2003 to 2015, 299/644 (46%) skunks, 51/739 (7%) cattle, 307/8,772 (3%) bats, 7/294 (2%) horses, 43/9,581(0.4%) cats, 28/8,644 (0.3%) dogs, 0/982 (0%) raccoons, and 8/1,537 (0.5%) other animals (fox [3], goat [2], woodchuck, bison, deer) tested positive for rabies. Rabies in raccoons is rare in Minnesota: from 1988 to 2015, 3 raccoons have tested positive for rabies; these occurred in 1989, 1990, and 1993.

• For up to date information see>> Rabies
  
• Full issue>> Annual Summary of Communicable Diseases Reported to the Minnesota Department of Health, 2015