Utah Monthly Rabies Surveillance Report
November, 2022
Summary
As of November 30, 2022, 13 positive bats were reported in Utah. No additional positive bats were reported during the month of November. This will be the last monthly report of the season.
Positive bats were identified in Davis (2), Garfield (1), Kane (1), Salt Lake (3), Utah (2), Washington (2), and Weber (2) counties. During a five-year period between January and November, an average of 16.4 bats are reported positive in Utah. There have been no positive bats identified in the months of November or December in the past five years.
In 2021, 18 positive bats and one positive fox were reported in Utah. The five-year average in Utah is 16.4 positive bats per year. Positive bats were identified in Beaver (1), Cache (4), Davis (2), Morgan (1), Salt Lake (4), Sevier (1), Summit (1), Utah (3), and Washington (1) counties. The positive fox was identified in Washington County. Of the 18 positive bats, the species were as follows: Mexican Free Tailed (6), Myotis (6), Silver Haired (2), Western Pipistrelle (1), Big Brown (2), and Hoary (1). Of the 313 animals submitted to the Utah Public Health Laboratory (UPHL) in 2021 for rabies testing, there were 168 bats, 48 cats, 62 dogs, 11 raccoons, 6 skunks, and 18 other species.
Background: Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. In Utah, bats are the primary source of rabies virus. The positive fox in 2020 was the first non-bat rabid animal since a positive skunk in 2014, and prior to that, a fox in 2006. All were infected with a bat strain of rabies virus. Because human rabies is considered virtually 100% fatal, it is critical to engage public health to evaluate exposure and ensure life-saving postexposure prophylaxis is provided when necessary.
Animals submitted to UPHL for laboratory testing are categorized by the county of the submitting facility. The only animals that may be submitted for rabies testing are those assessed to be a risk for rabies transmission, and in most cases, have potentially exposed a human or domestic animal.
Rabid Bat by County, Utah
NOTE: Positive bat counts are indicated with a black data point. Data points overlaid on map are randomly generated and do not indicate exact locations in each individual county where the animals were found.
Rabid Animal Counts by Month
2022: Positive Rabid Animal Counts by Health District
| Health District | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | YTD Totals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davis | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 |
| Salt Lake | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 |
| Southwest | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 |
| Utah County | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 |
| Weber Morgan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 |
| Bear River | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Central | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| San Juan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Southeast | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Summit | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Tooele | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| TriCounty | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Wasatch | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Total | 3 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
|
13 |
| Note: | ||||||||
| Rabies surveillance occurs during all months of the year. The months presented here are the only months with positive samples. |
Rabid Animals by Species and Health District
2022: Animal Species
| Health District | Big brown | Brazilian Free-tailed | Hoary | Pallid | Mexican Free-tailed | Myotis | Silver haired | Western Pipistrelle | Unknown | YTD Totals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear River | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Central | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Davis | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Salt Lake | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| San Juan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Southeast | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Southwest | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Summit | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tooele | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TriCounty | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Utah County | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Wasatch | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Weber Morgan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 |