Bat Rabies in Massachusetts, USA, 1985–2009

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Volume 16, Number 8–August 2010
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Bat Rabies in Massachusetts, USA, 1985–2009
Xingtai Wang , Alfred DeMaria, Sandra Smole, Catherine M. Brown, and Linda Han
Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Suggested citation for this article

Abstract
To investigate rabies in Massachusetts, we analyzed bat rabies test results before and after introduction of raccoon variant rabies and after release of revised 1999 US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations for rabies postexposure prophylaxis. Bat submissions were associated with level of rabies awareness and specific postexposure recommendations.

For the past 20 years, bat-associated rabies virus variants have accounted for most human rabies infections acquired in the United States. Most infections were associated with reports of minimal, if any, direct contact with a bat, which suggested that superficial or unrecognized bat bites may transmit infection (1–5). In 1999, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) updated their human rabies prevention guidelines to include consideration of rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) in some circumstances without recognized direct bat contact (6). Since the first rabid bat was reported in Massachusetts in 1961, testing of rabid animals has been conducted at the state public health laboratory (7). Raccoon rabies virus variant (RRV) was first detected in Massachusetts in 1992 and had spread throughout most of the state by 1996.

We reviewed bat rabies data for Massachusetts during 1985–2009. We analyzed the effect of RRV introduction on specimen submission, the impact of the 1999 ACIP guidelines on specimen submission, and differences in the likelihood of rabies infection among bats with different submission characteristics.

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Suggested Citation for this Article
Wang X, DeMaria A, Smole S, Brown CM, Han L. Bat rabies in Massachusetts, USA, 1985–2009. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet]. 2010 Aug [date cited]. http://www.cdc.gov/EID/content/16/8/1285.htm

DOI: 10.3201/eid1608.100205