Rabies Spreading Across US

Rabies Spreading Across US
From Patricia Doyle, PhD
11-10-8

Hello Jeff - I am quite concerned about the spread of rabies across the US. There have been other posts that I have not sent, rabies in S.C, Az, Montana, Colorado, Texas and other states.

I had an incident at my house yesterday of a rabies suspected animal on my side porch. I called our town police and found an interesting fact. The State of NY no longer sends the heads of suspected rabid animals for testing unless the animal has bitten a human. In a time when we are seeing more cases of rabies, is it wise to do less testing? Why not find out if rabies is in an area BEFORE a human gets bitten? The police officer explained that this is a cost saving measure. It is just too expensive to have a vet send a sample to the state pathologist and too expensive to do the test. If we are not testing for rabies I had to wonder if all of the deer samples are really getting tested for CWD.

Patty RABIES - USA: (GEORGIA, MAINE), SKUNK, FELINE, CANINE

[1] Date: 8 Nov 2008 Source: Morning Sentinel http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/5587061.html

Two incidents of rabid skunks attacking dogs in Windsor [Maine] within a month have the animal control officer for several area towns scared that there is an outbreak of the disease among wild animals in the area. The owners of the 2 dogs, which were attacked by the skunks, have their pets under 45-day quarantines to make sure the animals have not contracted the disease.

Animal control officer Howard Morang said one dog was bitten 3 or 4 weeks ago. Another was attacked by a skunk Thursday [6 Nov 2008], but a veterinarian said it did not appear the dog was actually bitten by the rabid skunk. Both attacks occurred in Windsor, near the Windsor Fairgrounds and Windsor four corners, said Morang, who is animal control officer for Windsor, Vassalboro, Chelsea, Randolph, Pittston, Hallowell and Manchester. He said both skunks were confirmed to be rabid, and he's received complaints about other animals in the area, including a raccoon with a face full of porcupine quills chasing animals and people near Oak Grove Road in Vassalboro.

"We've got skunks going into dog pens and attacking the dogs, that's not the way life should be," Morang said. "I hadn't seen any rabies cases for quite some time, now it's 2 all of a sudden in that area of Windsor, so now I'm scared. My guess is we've got a herd of skunks that are infected." State and county data indicate the number of reported rabies cases so far this year [2008] and last year is not beyond the norm.

"We're about in the range of what we typically see in Kennebec County," said Anne Sites of the state Department of Health and Human Services' Infectious Disease Epidemiology Program. Kennebec County has had 7 confirmed rabies cases so far this year [2008], and also had 7 in 2007, according to the state Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory.

But Sites said there are clearly more wild animals with rabies than that. In general, rabies cases get reported when there is contact with a human or domestic animal, she said. There are likely far more wild animals with rabies than the number of confirmed cases. "We know rabies is endemic in Maine," Sites said. "People need to be aware of animals acting strangely and try to prevent encounters with them. Everything from a squirrel acting strangely to a bat that enters the home in the summer months all the way to house cats left to wander and not kept up-to-date on their vaccines. We hear of numerous incidents each year. We encourage people to take every opportunity to prevent exposure to wild animals."

Don Hoenig, state veterinarian, said Maine has had 49 confirmed rabies cases so far this year [2008]. There were 86 last year and 127 in 2006. The number of cases peaked in 1998, at 248 cases. Hoenig said rabies tends to occur in geographical pockets, as wild animals spread the disease to other animals in an area, which is what could be occurring in the Windsor area.

Pets that are current on their rabies vaccine and exposed to an animal with rabies are subject to a 45-day quarantine period during which they may stay with their owners, subject to the discretion of the animal control officer, but must be kept in a restricted area and not exposed to other people or animals.

Sites said pets that are not up to date on their rabies vaccine and are exposed to a rabid animal are recommended for euthanasia. However, if an owner refuses to have the pet killed, it may be placed in a 6-month quarantine.

During both quarantines, the animals are given a booster shot in an effort to help prevent the disease. Morang suggested residents not feed their pets outside or have bird feeders, because the food can attract wild animals. He said if a person or pet is exposed to a potentially rabid animal, the wild animal should be shot and kept, if possible, so it can be tested. However, the animal should not be shot in the head, as the brain is needed for rabies testing. And if a wild animal is acting strangely, stay away from it. "If you drive in the yard and he's in the yard, wait till he goes away," Morang said of wild animals. "You do not need to have a confrontation."

[byline: Keith Edwards]

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promed@promedmail.org>

****** [2] Date: 7 Nov 2008 Source: AJC.com http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/henry/stories/2008/11/07/rabies_cats_henry.html


Two cases of rabies have been confirmed in stray cats found in rural Henry County, officials said Friday [7 Nov 2008]. Since 18 Oct 2008, officials have confirmed rabies in 2 stray cats found along Ga. 81 East near Bethany Baptist Church, county spokeswoman Julie Hoover-Ernst said.

A 2-week trapping program has been initiated in the area to capture any other wild cats, she said. Also, letters have been sent to nearby residents alerting them to the confirmed rabies cases, she said. Hoover-Ernst said all pet owners are required by law to keep their dogs and cats vaccinated against rabies. Pet owners also should prevent their animals from roaming to avoid exposure to infected wild animals.

Stray animals should be reported to Animal Control. Raccoons, foxes, skunks, bats and coyotes are considered to be at high risk for rabies and should not be approached or handled.

Rabies is a viral disease that is spread through the saliva of an infected animal. Rabies symptoms include abnormal behavior, lethargy, lack of coordination, convulsions and paralysis. Although the disease is fatal, immediate First-Aid may prevent the virus from entering the body.

[byline: Kathy Jefcoats]

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Rabies is a disease that afflicts the nervous system of its victim. It is a sad way for an animal to die and an even more tragic situation if a human being becomes infected because of someone's negligence to vaccinate a pet. Rabies is almost universally fatal.

I would take the approach that, until proven otherwise, most bats and skunks have rabies as do many raccoons. Raccoons can get distemper, and their actions are strange and can be confused with rabies.

Every US state has its own rabies laws regarding length of time of quarantine of exposed animals and exposed vaccinated animals. Please check with your particular state's animal control and public health departments. - Mod.TG


Patricia A. Doyle DVM, PhD Bus Admin,
Tropical Agricultural Economics Univ of West Indies
Please visit my "Emerging Diseases" message board at:
http://www.emergingdisease.org/phpbb/index.php Also my new website:
http://drpdoyle.tripod.com/
Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa
Go with God and in Good Health