Journal of the South African Veterinary Association versão
impressa ISSN 1019-9128 Epidemiological analyses in time and
space were carried out on all animal rabies cases reported in
South Africa for the period 1993-2005. Validation of state
veterinary records was done by comparing these with data from
the 2 diagnostic laboratories mandated to test for animal
rabies. A discrepancy between state veterinary records and
laboratory results was found and is discussed. The total number
of positive rabies cases reported to veterinary services between
1993 and 2005 was 4767. During this period the proportion of
domestic animal rabies had increased to 79 % (19 % more than for
the period 1980-1994), with 59 % of the total cases being
domestic dogs. Of the domestic animal cases 74 % were canine and
only 21 % were bovine; when compared to the data from 1985-1994
there was an increase of 6 % of rabies in canine anda3% decrease
in bovine cases. A disturbing trend is the increase in the
incidence of rabies over the last 16 y