UDC 619: 616.98
DOI: 10.36871/vet.zoo.bio.202301005
Authors
Maria S. Shishkina,
Tatyana P. Lobova,
Vera V. Mikhailova,
Anastasia N. Skvortsova,
Testing Central Scientific and Methodological Veterinary Laboratory,
Moscow, Russia
Abstract
The article presents the results of epizootic monitoring for rabies in the Russian Federation for
2021. The species and number composition of animals with a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of
rabies was analyzed. A picture of the spread of the disease and the involvement of many animal
species in the epizootic process is shown.
In 2021, veterinary laboratories received over 10 000 brain samples from animals suspected of
having rabies. A positive diagnosis was laboratory established in 1189 cases in 63 subjects of the
Russian Federation. The most intense epizootic situation is in the Volga Federal District (382 cases)
and the Central Federal District (257 cases). 47 % of positive results (563 cases) are for dogs and
cats; 39 % (459 cases) – for commercial and wild animals; 13,5 % (161 cases) – for farm animals;
0,5 % (rabbit, 2 wild hamsters and 3 hedgehogs) – for other animal species. The main reservoir of
the rabies virus in Russia is the red fox. Among game and wild animals, the largest number of cases
was registered among foxes (80 % of cases).
Keywords
rabies, epizootic monitoring, wild animals, red fox
