[Epidemiology of rabies in the German Federal Republic (author's transl)].

Rabies has spread from east to west with an annual advance of about 40 km. By 1960, the silvatic type of rabies had reached the Rhein. The principal carrier is the fox which is involved in 70% of epidemic occurences. The danger of infection of other wild and domestic animals and of humans starts with foxes. From 1974-76 the number of rabies findings in wild animals had increased by almost 100%. Cattle in the fields are particularly endangered by rabies from game. Rodents, like rats and mice have no epizootic importance in such epidemics. Since the first appearance of rabies in the Federal Republic of Germany, 15 humans have died from it, 7 of them had been infected abroad.