Genetic characteristics of field and attenuated rabies viruses ... - Evira

accoon dogs, badgers, wolves, lynx, etc.). The disease is enzootic in Russia and there is
an increasing tendency in the number of rabies affected territories (Dudnikov, 2003b);
also almost 10 human rabies cases are reported annually.
Figure 5. Map of the Russian Federation and bordering countries. The Russian
regions affected by rabies (according to data recorded in 2006) are colored dark grey.
The largest outbreaks of rabies have occurred in the south-western regions of the
Russian Federation and rabies is spreading further to the northern and eastern directions
(Makarov and Vorob’ev, 2004). The number of animal rabies cases increased annually
from 2000 to 2005, except for 2004, when a decrease in rabies cases was recorded (Fig.
6). In 2006, the number of animal rabies cases decreased substantially (approximately
57%).
Figure 6. Dynamics of the number of animal rabies cases (total for all species) in
Russia during the last 8 years.
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