Interestingly, cattle were the next most common, representing 135 cases. In industrialized nations such as the U.S., the primary reservoir of rabies virus is the native wildlife population. In 1999, there were 6,466 cases of rabies in wild animals. The distribution of rabies within these major species varies geographically. Raccoon rabies is concentrated along the east coast, while skunks and bats are the primary reservoir of infection for the Midwest and West coast.
Rabies virus can infect any warm-blooded animal.
During 1999 it was reported in wildlife species as diverse as chipmunks, groundhogs, opossums, beaver, coyotes, bobcats, otters, bison, deer, and badgers. Fortunately in 1999, no such cases were reported in the United States. However, things changed in the year 2000. Four cases of human rabies were reported in September and October of 2000 alone, one each in California, Minnesota, Georgia, and New York. The New York case was a native of Ghana who was exposed to rabies via a dog bite he received in his native village.