[Importance of the racoon dog in the epidemiology and epizootiology of rabies in the Far East].

Raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides Gray) have been shown to take part in the circulation of rabies virus within their natural area in the Far East and thus to be dangerous as a source of infection for humans and domestic animals. The disease has been registered in the areas with high population density of this species, the spread of infection reaching 13 +/- 4.6% in the years of survey. The results of the preliminary determination of the sensitivity of raccoon dogs and the schematic map showing the spread of rabies among the animals of this species are presented.