Epizootic situation and fox rabies prophylaxis in the territory of Tatarstan.

Data on the epizootic situation of rabies in the Republic of Tatarstan from 1970-2003 were obtained from epizootological and immunological monitoring. The districts in Tatarstan were divided into four groups according to the intensity of indices and a map of epizootics was developed. A three- to five-year cyclic recurrence of rabies, with peaks in the spring-winter-autumn seasons of the year was established. Foxes are the basic source and spreader of rabid infection in the Republic amounting to 96.5 % of rabies cases among wild animals. The present study gives the results of epizootological analysis of the efficacy of oral immunization of foxes in the republic since 1996.