Rabies in Mongolian steppes A. Botvinkin, D. Otgonbaatar, S. Tsoodol, I. Kuzmin - Irkutsk State Medical University, Russia. - Center of Infectious Diseases with Natural Foci, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. - Center for Diseases Control and Prevention, Atlanta, USA.

Mongolia: - human population – 2.5 mln - cattle – 35.0 mln

- About one million of Mongolian people lives in traditional houses – “yurta” - Local name of rabies is “galzoo” – kind of wicked spirits

Epidemiological features of rabies in Mongolia 1994-2006 – 11 human rabies cases; in average index 0.4 per mln Cattle-breeder children (4-7 years old) – 50% of all human cases 64% of human cases were caused by wildlife Bites of herd dogs – 90% of PET

Animal rabies in Mongolia (total case number 1976-2006) Cattle – more than 80% of reported cases

Human rabies in Mongolia (total case number 1972-2006)

Distribution of the steppes in Mongolia and neighbouring countries

Main vectors and reservoirs of rabies virus in Mongolia

Main vectors and reservoirs of rabies virus in Mongolia Human rabies in Mongolia (1994-2006; n=11): Wolf – 5 Red fox – 2 Dog - 4 Active surveillance in Chita region of Russia (1977-1980; n=370): - Red fox – 3,7% - Steppe fox – 3,5%

Sequencing of rabies virus isolates from Mongolian type steppes Location Species Year Number Mongolia (west) red fox, wolf, cow, camel 2006 3,4,6,7 Russia (Tuwa) wolf, cow 1980 365w, 786c (Chita region) steppe fox 1977 304c, 248c

Instead of conclusion Does Mongolia a place of contact of different clones of rabies virus? From there did fox rabies appeares in Mongolian steppes? Can we consider rabies in Mongolian steppes as a relict of wildlife rabies in central Asia?