[The epidemiology and epizootiology of rabies on the territory of the former USSR].

On the territory of the former USSR rabies is as infection with natural foci in the western and central regions. In the republics of Central Asia and Transcaucasia, in the North Caucasus the presence of natural foci of infection is combined with appearance of the foci of rabies, mainly among dogs, due to human activities. The existence of natural epizootic cycles of three years has been established, and the natural foci of rabies have been found to prevail in certain landscape zones: steppes, forest-steppes, tundra, forest tundra. A vast zone of northern taiga remained free from this disease. About half a million persons asked for medical assistance in connection with rabies annually, and about 50% of them received urgent antirabies treatment. Of the total number of persons asking for antirabies assistance, the proportion of rural dwellers was about 30%, while the majority of rabies patients were from rural areas (about 70%). During the period under study the incidence of this disease among humans did not show any tendency towards a decrease and constituted 0.01-0.02 cases per 1,000 persons. Of the total number of persons contacting this disease, only 30% went to a clinic for medical assistance.