Rabies, 2018

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

In 2018, 32 (1.5%) of 2,175 animals tested were positive for rabies. This is similar to 2017 (35 [1.8%]) and consistent with the number of positives seen in 2014 and 2015. The majority of positive animals in 2017 were bats (27/32 [84.4%]), followed by skunks (3/32 [9.4%]), and there was 1 positive cat (1/32 [3.1%]) and dog (1/32 [3.1%]) (Figure 5). There were no human cases of rabies.

From 2003 to 2018, 865 (2.5%) of 37,369 animals tested were positive for rabies. The median number of rabies positive animals identified annually was 55 (range 28 to 94). From 2003 to 2018, 323/714 (45.2%) skunks, 56/881 (6.4%) cattle, 391/10,755 (3.6%) bats, 9/335 (2.7%) horses, 47/11,221 (0.4%) cats, 29/10,475 (0.3%) dogs, 1/1,162 (0.1%) raccoons, and 10/1,821 (0.5%) other animals (fox [5], goat [2], woodchuck, bison, deer) tested positive for rabies. In contrast to the Eastern United States, where raccoons are the most common source of terrestrial rabies, rabies in raccoons is rare in Minnesota.

• For up to date information see>> Rabies
• Full issue>> Annual Summary of Communicable Diseases Reported to the Minnesota Department of Health, 2018