Rabic infection currently determines the epidemic and epizootic state in many countries. In this study, we revealed the value of red fox (Vulpes vulpes Linnaeus, 1758) as a carrier of rabies in the forest zone. Altogether, the research was conducted in 22 districts and the city of Saransk during the period from 2009 to 2018. The work uses a comprehensive epizootological analysis, including methods of modern diagnostics, veterinary and sanitary statistics, epizootological examination , as well as other methods generally accepted in epizootology. When determining the boundaries of the risk of rabies virus in the Republic, we found that the main clusters of epizootic foci of infection are located on the territory of Bolsheignatovskiy, Ichalkovskiy, Chamzinskiy and Atyashevskiy districts. It was found that the expansion of the infection zone over the years on the territory of the Republic is associated with the dynamics of the main host of the pathogen-red fox. In our Republic, the population density of foxes varies from 1.1 to 1.6 individuals per 1000 ha. In some areas, it is twice the average. The highest population density was observed in 2010-1.6 individuals per 1000 ha. The same year, there was a large proportion (66 %) of infected foxes with rabies, compared to other animals. The first rise of diseases coincides with the period of fox rut (early spring) and the second-with the settlement of young animals (autumn-winter).
Boyarova E., Andreychev A., Kozlova I., Kuznetsov V. Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) as the main vector of animal’s rabies in the forest-steppe zone of Republic of Mordovia // Forestry Ideas. 2020. V. 26. № 2. P. 355–365.