Epizootological and epidemiological aspects for rabies in Ukraine for the period from 1999 to 2018

The aim of the work is to analyze the epizootological and epidemiological aspects of rabies in the last 20 years, to evaluate critically the achievements and problems in this direction, to point out the shortcomings and to outline the main ways of overcoming them. Epizootological and epidemiological methods of research were used in this work. The analysis of the epizootic situation with rabies for the period 1999–2018 showed that 33079 animals suffered from rabies, 19687 (59.5%) of them were domesticated animals, 13392 (40.5%) were wild. The percentage of sick animals with the highest rates of morbidity from the total number of patients is: for cats – 25.3%, for dogs – 19.3%, for cattle – 13%, for foxes – 36.7%. The disease was registered in 10 species of domestic animals and 18 species of wild ones. Among wild animals, the highest incidence was recorded among foxes – 12,136 animals or 90.6%, high incidence of rabies – raccoon dogs – 507 or 3.78%, martens – 363 or 2.7%, wolves – 158 animals, or 1.17%. The study of seasonality for this disease showed the maximum manifestation in the autumn-winter period. All regions with a high tense of epizootic situation with rabies are interconnected (mainly the eastern, northern and central regions of Ukraine). The low tenseness of the epizootic situation is observed mainly in the western regions. During the analyzed period in Ukraine, 58 people died from rabies. The number of bites animals suspected of developing rabies disease was estimated from 879 (2016) to 3983 (2007). Such a large number of bites in 2007 is logical, since the number of sick animals in this period was the highest. Antirabies assistance needed 6,373 people (2014) up to 110 202 (2003). Vaccination was subject to 14.8% (14,149 people in 2006) and 23.3% (16,131 people in 2017). The epizootic rabies situation among dogs and cats requires more active legislative intervention regarding the full coverage of these animals by vaccination. The seasonal component in the manifestation of the disease is partly due to the activity of young animals of stray dogs and cats. Although some successes have been achieved in the oral vaccination of wildlife (in some areas), however, for the most part, full coverage of the area has not been achieved. As the results of this work show, the proportion of animals covered by vaccines was insufficient to control and eradicate the disease in the wild. The authors of the article note that the mandatory vaccination of bovine animals in areas where such animals go to grazing in the warm season should be national. The number of cattle in patients with rabies during the analyzed period was 21.89% (third place after cats and dogs in the category of pets).