ProMED-mail |

Published Date: 2010-08-10 12:00:04
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Rabies update - USA (09): August 2010
Archive Number: 20100810.2731

RABIES UPDATE - USA (09): AUGUST 2010
*************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

In this update
[1] Beaver, human exposure - USA (Georgia)
[2] Feline, human exposure - USA (Alabama)
[3] Bat, canine exposure - USA (Utah)
[4] Skunk, feline, canine exposure - USA (New York)
[5] Bat, feline exposure - USA (New Jersey)
[6] Bat, human exposure - USA (South Carolina)
[7] Raccoon, canine, human exposure - USA (New Jersey)
[8] Feline, canine, human exposure - USA (Texas)
[9] Bats, multiple human exposure - USA (Colorado)

******
[1] Beaver, human exposure - USA (Georgia)
Date: Fri 30 Jul 2010
Source: My Fox Atlanta [edited]
<http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/atlanta-man-attacked-by-beaver-073010>

Atlanta man attacked by beaver
------------------------------
An Atlanta man says he was recovering on Friday [30 Jul 2010] from an arm
wound after a beaver attacked him near Lake Lanier. The victim said he was
fishing with friends just below the Buford Dam Thursday [29 Jul 2010] when
a 30 pound [14 kg] beaver started biting him without provocation. The
victim said he got a deep puncture wound on his lower right arm and is now
receiving the rabies vaccine.

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

******
[2] Feline, human exposure - USA (Alabama)
Date: Sat 31 Jul 2010
Source: al.com, Press-Register report [edited]
<http://blog.al.com/live/2010/07/cat_diagnosed_with_rabies_in_m.html>

Cat diagnosed with rabies in Mobile after biting local man
----------------------------------------------------------
A cat that bit a local man has tested positive for rabies, officials said.
The man was bitten as he tried to break up a fight between the cat and
dogs. The bitten man, who lives in Mobile County, was undergoing treatment,
officials said.

The diagnosis of the rabid cat from the 36693 zip code in Mobile prompted
health officials on Friday [30 Jul 2010] to encourage people to get pets
vaccinated. State law requires that dogs, cats, and ferrets be vaccinated
against rabies. Some vaccines are effective for a year, while others are
effective for up to 3 years.

Dr Bert Eichold, health officer for the Mobile County Health Department,
cautioned the public not to approach stray animals, wildlife, or bats.
Vaccination of domestic pets also creates a protective buffer between
people and rabid wildlife.

[byline: Cassandra Andrews]

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

******
[3] Bat, canine exposure - USA (Utah)
Date: Fri 30 Jul 2010
Source: Park Record [edited]
<http://www.parkrecord.com/ci_15642517>

Rabid bat found in Coalville
----------------------------
A North Summit family found the rabid bat in their dog's mouth, said Dr
Kate Bjordahl, a veterinarian at White Pine Veterinary Clinic in the
Snyderville Basin. A bat found in the Coalville area in July [2010] tested
positive for rabies, health officials say. "The bat was found in the dog's
mouth on 9 Jul 2010," Bjordahl said in a telephone interview. "They had
multiple dogs that came in contact with this bat." She said she found out
about 4 days later that the bat had tested positive for rabies.

Since then 3 of the family's dogs, which had possibly made contact with the
rabid bat, have been euthanized because rabies vaccines for the pets were
not current. The dogs that were put down later tested negative for rabies.
The rabies vaccine for a 4th dog was up to date. Observation will continue
for 45 days.

According to the Summit County Health Department, 8 people in the Coalville
area who lived with the dogs that encountered the rabid bat are receiving
rabies shots. [This is post exposure prophylaxis, not the same rabies shot
that a dog receives to prevent the disease. - Mod.TG] "Everyone who was in
contact with the dogs' saliva decided to do it," said Jean Paskett, a
Summit County public health nurse. Nobody touched the rabid bat. But a
child in the home whose face was licked by a dog was likely at the greatest
risk, Paskett said. The rabies vaccines consist of 3 shots, which are
administered in the arm. "They are all doing well," Paskett said about the
family receiving the vaccinations. "They have all received their 2nd doses."

Rabid animals usually transmit the neurological disease when they bite, she
explained.

Meanwhile, Bjordahl stressed that pet owners should keep rabies
vaccinations current for their cats and dogs. "Responsible care includes
keeping your vaccines up to date. It's really important to keep pets
vaccinated for not only their own protection but for the family's
protection," Bjordahl said. "Most people think that cats don't need to be
vaccinated and that's not true."

[byline: Patrick Parkinson]

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

******
[4] Skunk, feline, canine exposure - USA (New York)
Date: Sun 1 Aug 2010
Source: Rome Sentinel [edited]
<http://www.romesentinel.com/news?newsid=20100731-141204>

Skunk killed in Oriskany had rabies
-----------------------------------
A skunk recently killed by a family's dog tested positive for rabies -- the
7th case of the deadly virus reported in the county this year [2010]. In
2009, Oneida County had a total of 11 cases of rabies for the entire year,
county Health Department officials said.

"In this latest case, the pet dog that killed the skunk was not up-to-date
on its rabies vaccinations and will have to be quarantined for a period of
6 months," Bobbi Jo Girven, coordinator for the county's Rabies Prevention
and Treatment Program, said. "Fortunately, there was no human exposure to
the virus."

A week ago, a rabid kitten was reported in Rome. In that case, 3 people, 2
of them children, had contact with the animal and were required to undergo
post exposure prophylaxis, or PEP rabies treatment.

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

******
[5] Bat, feline exposure - USA (New Jersey)
Date: Tue 3 Aug 2010
Source: Shore News Today [edited]
<http://www.shorenewstoday.com/index.php/regional/atlantic-county/2931-bat-in-estell-manor-tests-positive-for-rabies.html>

Bat in Estell Manor, New Jersey, tests positive for rabies
----------------------------------------------------------
A bat collected from a residence on Cumberland Avenue in Estell Manor on 21
Jul 2010 was confirmed positive for rabies by the New Jersey State
Department of Health laboratory. An investigation by the Atlantic County
Division of Public Health indicates there were no human exposures; however,
the owner's 4 unvaccinated cats have been placed under a 6 month informal
confinement as a precautionary measure.

The owner contacted the Division of Public Health after finding a dead bat
outside her home, near an area of her property where her cats stay. It
could not be determined whether any of the cats had killed the bat or had
come in contact with it.

Although bats benefit our communities by eating unwanted insects, they have
increasingly been implicated in the transmission of rabies to humans.
Findings suggest that limited or seemingly insignificant physical contact
with rabid bats may result in transmission of rabies virus to humans, even
without a definite history of a bite.

County Health officer Patricia Diamond stressed the importance of rabies
vaccinations. "A rabies vaccination not only protects your pets, but it
provides a barrier to human exposures to rabies from contact with your
pets," she said, adding that animals from the wild should not be routinely
handled, captured or kept as pets.

Residents who find a bat in their home or on their property should leave it
alone until an animal control officer, police officer or other responder
arrives on the scene to capture and/or remove the bat. If necessary, bats
can be safely captured using leather work gloves, a small box or coffee
can, a piece of cardboard, and tape following these steps:

1. Wearing leather work gloves, place the box or can over the bat.
2. Slide the cardboard under the box or can to trap the bat inside.
3. Securely tape the cardboard to the box or can.
4. Punch small holes in top of cardboard.
5. Call the Atlantic County Division of Public Health at (609) 645-5971 to
report the incident.

The captured bat should be kept in cool storage until a determination by
health officials as to whether rabies testing is necessary.

Parents are advised to teach children to stay away from wild, stray, or
aggressive animals. Never feed or touch wild animals, especially bats,
skunks, raccoons, foxes, or groundhogs. If bitten by an animal, wash the
wound immediately with soap and water and seek medical attention.

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

******
[6] Bat, human exposure - USA (South Carolina)
Date: Mon 2 Aug 2010
Source: Live 5 News [edited]
<http://www.live5news.com/Global/story.asp?S=12912147>

DHEC warning residents of rabies after rabid bat bites man, South Carolina
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Dorchester County man is receiving post-exposure preventive shots after
being bitten by a rabid bat on 29 Jul 2010, the state Department of Health
and Environmental Control(DHEC) reported today [2 Aug 2010].

"The man was bitten when he picked up a pipe in his back yard in St
George," said Sue Ferguson of DHEC's Bureau of Environmental Health. "The
bat was hiding inside the pipe. The bat was submitted to DHEC's Bureau of
Laboratories and confirmed to have rabies."

"Bats are a known carrier of rabies," said Robert Ball, MD, DHEC's Region 7
infectious disease consultant in Charleston. "Bats have very small, sharp
teeth that might feel like a mosquito bite, so people may not realize they
have been bitten."

DHEC recommends that anyone who is exposed to rabies from a possible bite
from a bat, either capture or kill the bat, put it into a plastic bag and
contact the Environmental Health office at your local DHEC county public
health department. "If the bat tests negative for rabies, anyone who was
potentially exposed will avoid the post-exposure treatment by a physician,"
Dr Ball said.

Ferguson said anyone bitten, scratched, or otherwise exposed to the saliva
of a rabid animal must undergo immediate measures to stop the virus from
reaching the brain. Once the rabies virus reaches the brain, the disease is
fatal to humans and animals.

"If you think you have been exposed to the rabies virus through a bite,
scratch, or the saliva of a possibly infected animal, immediately wash the
affected area with plenty of soap and water," Ferguson said. "Then be sure
to get medical attention and report the incident to DHEC."

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

******
[7] Raccoon, canine, human exposure - USA (New Jersey)
Date: Mon 2 Aug 2010
Source: NJ.com, The News of Cumberland County [edited]
<http://www.nj.com/cumberland/index.ssf/2010/08/cumberland_countys_sixth_rabie.html>

Cumberland County's 6th rabies case for 2010 reported in Downe
--------------------------------------------------------------
Cumberland County Health Department received test results that indicated a
raccoon, found in Downe Township on 22 Jul 2010, around noon, has tested
positive for rabies. The wild raccoon was found in a resident's backyard
aggressively attacking a dog. The dog immediately received the rabies
vaccination.

The raccoon did not appear sick and was not afraid of humans. There were no
humans bitten or exposed to the raccoon. It is unknown if the raccoon has
been exposed to any other animals.

In an unrelated case, a day before the 6th positive rabies case, an
individual saw a very sickly raccoon along the roadside in Downe Township.
The raccoon later came onto the individual's porch and attacked the
homeowner's cat and dog. The resident also sustained scratches and bite
wounds from the raccoon. Another individual became exposed to the raccoon's
saliva. One of the individuals previously received prevention treatment for
rabies. The other individual had to receive rabies prevention treatment.
The dog and cat were vaccinated for rabies. That raccoon was not caught.

Rabies is a fatal disease that can affect humans and animals. It is
important to keep pets vaccinated for rabies. Avoid animals that act
strangely or are wild and overly friendly.

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

******
[8] Feline, canine, human exposure - USA (Texas)
Date: Mon 2 Aug 2010
Source: Connect Amarillo [edited]
<http://www.connectamarillo.com/news/story.aspx?id=491110>

20 cases of rabies in the Panhandle confirmed
---------------------------------------------
The Panhandle [Texas] had its 20th confirmed case of rabies late last week
[week of 26 Jul 2010] in Deaf Smith County. Now 2 people are being treated
for the disease.

A woman trying to break up a scuffle between an unvaccinated barn cat and a
puppy, was scratched on her ankle. Her son also sustained scratches on his
hand.

State health authorities highly recommend vaccinating pets, horses, and
livestock. Last year [2009], the Panhandle's 20th case of rabies occurred
in mid-October.

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

******
[9] Bats, multiple human exposure - USA (Colorado)
Date: Tue 3 Aug 2010
Source: The Pueblo Chieftain [edited]
<http://www.chieftain.com/news/local/article_1ba32c2a-9ec0-11df-9dd4-001cc4c002e0.html>

Rabid bat cases on the rise. 10 people treated for possible exposure
--------------------------------------------------------------------
This summer [2010], 2 bats have tested positive for rabies and a 3rd was
being tested after coming in contact with a 2 year old child. In addition,
10 people in the Pueblo area have had to be treated for possible exposure,
according to Heather Maio, director of the Pueblo City-County Health
Department's environmental division. Maio delivered a report to the health
board at its latest meeting and stressed the need for people to get their
pets vaccinated as well as to be wary of bats that nest in attics.

Last Thursday [29 Jul 2010], health department officials said a 3 year old
boy was bitten by a bat that tested positive for rabies.

In one of the cases, a dog owner said he found his pet eating a bat and
because the dog had not been vaccinated, it had to be quarantined for 180
days. The bat was not recovered so it's not known if it was rabid.

Because rabies is virtually 100 per cent fatal in humans, the dog's owner
is going through a series of vaccinations. The treatment involves 4 shots
over a period of 14 days. Vaccinated pets only need to be under observation
for 10 days.

Because dogs are prone to pick up sick bats, they're especially vulnerable
to contracting rabies and need to be vaccinated regularly, Maio said.

In another case, a family of 4 suffered scratches and possible bites when
30 bats flew out of their attic.

According to the health department, the homeowner thought he heard mice and
sprayed ammonia into the attic from outside while standing on a ladder. The
bats flew out, hitting him, his wife, and 2 children. All are being treated
because it's not known if they were bitten.

Maio said bats have tiny needle-sharp teeth and people don't always know if
they've been bitten. That's why other people who found bats in their
bedroom are being treated, too. In one case the bat was caught and did test
positive for rabies. Another couple found a bat hanging on the side of
their mattress. Maio said they scooped up the bat and threw it out on the
front porch but to be safe, both are receiving shots.

Skunk rabies, another strain of the disease, has been moving westward
across Colorado but so far has not been found in Pueblo County.

Last year [2009], there were no cases of rabies in Pueblo County.

[byline: John Norton]

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[It cannot be stressed enough that if you are exposed to rabies, through a
bite, a scratch, or saliva to a wound, to wash the wound and seek medical
attention. Post exposure prophylaxis should be given in the event of
exposure. It also cannot be emphasized enough to vaccinate your pets,
including horses and ferrets. - Mod.TG]

See Also