RABIES IN BULGARIA - CURRENT SITUATION

Regarding the surveillance of rabies in Bulgaria in 2016-2017 a total of 5201 brain samples from animals (wild and domestic) have been tested. Among them 5126 samples from (2594 foxes and 2532 jackals) were investigated in districts with oral vaccination and in non-vaccinated districts, as well as 75 brain samples from other species in the territory of the whole country via Fluorescent antibody test (FAT). From the districts with rabies vaccination 2016-2017 a total number of 894 blood samples of foxes were serologically tested, respectively, with seroconversion ranged between 50.7% and 57.08%. A total of 1834 canine teeth of foxes with mandibular bone were examined for the presence of biomarker tetracycline and their age categories were determined. The samples were collected from 578 settlements in 16 districts and the rate of presence of tetracycline in fox teeth ranged between 65% and 73%. In Bulgaria in 2016-2017 no rabies incidents in animals were detected. In the same period in neighbouring Romania and Serbia there was a reduction of the rabies cases. In neighbouring Republic of North Macedonia and Greece there was lack of positive cases.