Rabies cases drop in 2005

SCHAUMBURG, ILL. — Reported rabies cases dropped in 2005, according to a report in the December Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA).

Veterinarians continue to remind pet owners to vaccinate against the virus to avoid rabies in domestic animals.

Reported cases dropped 6.2 percent, from 6,836 cases in 2004 in the United States and Puerto Rico to 6,417 cases in 2005. One case of rabies in a human was reported in 2005, down from 8 in 2004.

Rabies continues to affect wildlife, especially raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes, more than domestic animals, but cats lead the list of domestic animals in 2005 reported rabies cases.

Cases have continued to decline since 2000, mainly because of increased effort to vaccinate both companion and wild animal populations.