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Health Officials: SD Animal Rabies Cases Down In 2014

Associated Press0

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The number of animal rabies cases has dropped in South Dakota for the second consecutive year.

Health officials say 21 cases were reported in 2014, that’s down from 28 in 2013. The two-year decline comes after the state experienced a spike in cases.

State epidemiologist Lon Kightlinger says rabies is a cyclical disease with cases periodically rising and falling. The state saw 60 cases of rabies in 2012 and 40 in 2011.

Kightlinger says rabies vaccination of pets is always important.

Rabies was detected in 2014 in three domestic animals and 18 wild animals. The domestic animals were a cow, a cat and a goat. Skunks accounted for 12 of the wild animal cases, while the other six were bats.

Skunks are the primary reservoir of rabies in South Dakota.

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