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Published Date: 2010-10-24 23:00:04
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Rabies, update - USA (20): October 2010
Archive Number: 20101024.3862

RABIES, UPDATE - USA (20): OCTOBER 2010
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In this posting:
[1] Felines, skunk, human exposure - Connecticut
[2] Feline, human exposure - North Carolina
[3] Canine, raccoon, human exposure - Florida
[4] Canine - West Virginia
[5] Canine - West Virginia
[6] Feline, possible human exposure - Massachusetts

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[1] Felines, skunk, human exposure Connecticut
Date: 20 Oct 2010
Source: Courant.com [edited]
<http://www.courant.com/health/hc-cheshire-animals-rabies-20101020,0,4432414.story>

2 More Cases Of Rabies Confirmed In Cheshire
--------------------------------------------
An additional 2 cases of rabies in animals have
been confirmed in Cheshire. Animal Control
Officer April Leiler said Wednesday [20 Oct 2010]
that a family cat found on Schoolhouse Road and
Peck Lane tested positive for rabies Monday [18
Oct 2010]. The cat was tested because it showed
signs of rabies and had scratched its owners.

"The owners called and said their cat was acting
strange, breathing funny, growling, acting
aggressively toward them," Leiler said. The cat
had not been vaccinated. Leiler said she trapped
the animal and recommended that it be put down.
The owners have started post exposure rabies
vaccinations.

There were 55 confirmed cases of rabies in
animals between January and May of this year
[2010], according to the state Animal Control
Division. With the exception of one cow, the
cases were found in raccoons, skunks and bats.

Leiler said a skunk found on Lansdowne Lane
tested positive for rabies last week. The skunk
was found near a cat that had been vaccinated for
rabies. A resident called Leiler and said the
skunk had been in her woodchips for a few hours.
Leiler said the skunk was chewing on a stick and
wasn't moving well when she showed up. The latest
incidents bring the number of recent reports of
rabid animals in town to 5.

The rabies virus infects the central nervous
system, ultimately causing disease in the brain
and death. Leiler says pet owners need to keep
their pets current on their rabies vaccination.
Pets who come into contact with rabid animals are
exposed to the disease and can then expose their
owners, she said.

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[2] Feline, human exposure - North Carolina
Date: 20 Oct 2010
Source: Enc Today.com [edit]
<http://www.enctoday.com/news/county-69009-kfpress-eighth-case.html>

Another confirmed case of rabies in Lenoir County
-------------------------------------------------
The Lenoir County Health Department has confirmed
the 8th case -- and 2nd domestic pet case -- of
rabies in the county this year [2010].

Joey Huff, director of the department confirmed
that he had a phone call from the state
laboratory that a cat specimen that was sent for
rabies testing came back positive. The cat was
picked up Saturday [16 Oct 2010] and is believed
to have been exposed to rabies a day before. Huff
said humans were exposed to the cat and had to
receive post-exposure treatment.

Dr. Ray Randall, of Riverbank Animal Hospital,
processed the animal for the county. He said
vaccinations were extremely important when it
comes to rabies. "The biggest thing I can tell
people is that if your pet is currently
vaccinated (and they are exposed) then you can
give them a booster shot, (quarantine) them for
10 days and then you can turn them loose,"
Randall said. "If your (pet is) current on your
vaccinations, then you save yourself a whole
bunch of time, aggravation and money."

Huff said that another pet had been exposed and
was currently being quarantined. "Fortunately, it
was currently vaccinated and received a booster,
which is what we like to hear," Huff said.

Pets that are not vaccinated must be euthanized or quarantined for 6 months.

[Byline: Justin Hill
<jhill@freedomenc.com.>]

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[3] Canine, raccoon, human exposure - Florida
Date:18 Oct 2010
Source: WCTV TV [edited]
<http://www.wctv.tv/news/headlines/Rabies_Cases_in_Wildlife_Increasing_105206559.html?>

Rabies Cases in Wildlife Increasing
-----------------------------------
Richard Ziegler, Director of Leon County Animal
Control, warns citizens to use extra caution when
they see wild animals, especially raccoons,
skunks, foxes, coyotes and bats, to protect
themselves and their pets from the dangers of
rabies. A rabies vaccination is the 1st line of
defense for people and their pets.

Since September [2010] there have been 9 cases of
people and domestic animals being exposed to
raccoons that were acting strangely. Of those, 3
cases were positive for the rabies virus and
included one person and 2 pet dogs. The 6
raccoons in the other cases exposed only pets but
could not be tested because they ran away.
"Exposure" can include bites, scratches, and
saliva in the eye, mouth or nose.

Rabies is a virus that is transmitted from animal
to animal or animal to human, usually by a bite
from an infected animal. Raccoons, skunks, foxes,
coyotes and bats are all common carriers of the
virus.

If you are bitten, scratched or spat upon by a
wild animal, seek medical attention immediately
and wash the wound with soap and water. Also if
you see sick animals, contact Leon County Animal
Control for assistance.

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[4] Canine West Virginia
Date: 20 Oct 2010
Source: WWNS TV [edited]
<http://www.wvnstv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=88022>

Uncommon Rabies Case Reported in Greenbrier County
--------------------------------------------------
A rabid dog from Alderson did not present typical
symptoms of rabies. More rabies cases are
reported in Greenbrier County and 1 in particular
is especially unsettling because it did not
manifest the signs that many people are familiar
with when it comes to the potentially deadly
virus.

The Greenbrier County Health Department has been
dealing with an elevated rabies case load for
several years now, but the discovery of a sick
dog in Alderson on 13 Oct 2010 revealed a
confirmed rabies case that surprised the experts
in Greenbrier County, as they confirm a case of
dumb rabies here. Amanda McMichael is the
registered sanitarian with the Greenbrier County
Health Department who dealt with the dog's owner
and the rabies test results.

"The dog simply appeared healthy to them one day
and the next morning it was in a state of shock
more or less. Low body temperature, loss of
coordination, really not moving, as a matter of
fact, rather than drooling, the dog had a dry
mouth," said McMichael.

McMichael identified the strain of the virus as
dumb rabies and she says when it comes to the
signs, dumb rabies can present itself in a way
totally opposite of most people's perception of
what a rabid animal should look like. Foaming or
frothing at the mouth and aggressive behaviors
are well documented and publicized when it comes
to rabies, but McMichael says those signs are for
what's called furious rabies. It is the more
common form of the disease.

Dumb rabies doesn't include any of those signs,
but it's just as deadly for your pet and carries
the same, potentially fatal impact on human
health for those who are exposed to it.

She says the case in Alderson should reinforce
the message about avoiding sick animals and
making sure your pets and animals are vaccinated
against the rabies virus, as that inoculation
will protect your pets and your family.

She adds that both dumb and furious rabies can
take months to incubate in people and in their
pets and it's only transmitted to others during
the symptomatic phase. Exposure should be
reported to medical authorities like the Health
Department within 24 hours of exposure. In
animals and people, if the rabies virus reaches
the central nervous system before treatment, it's
considered to be 100 percent fatal. McMichael
says the dog in Alderson had to be euthanized.

[Byline: Martin Staunton]

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[5] Canine - West Virginia
Date: 20 Oct 2010
Source: Register-Herald [edited]
<http://www.register-herald.com/local/x154638170/Rabies-resurfaces-in-Greenbrier>

Rabies resurfaces in Greenbrier
-------------------------------
During the past month, a skunk from Frankford,
another from Williamsburg and a raccoon in
Lewisburg have been among the animals to test
positive for the rabies virus. A dog from the
Alderson area tested positive for the disease on
13 Oct 2010.

The only unvaccinated dog among 11 bear dogs from
the property, the young hound was still in
training and had only been on a handful of
excursions. The owners, who acquired the dog in
July [2010] and presumed it to be vaccinated for
rabies, had never witnessed any encounters
between the dog and any potentially rabid
wildlife. The previous owner did not recall any
incidents of note, either.

However, the dog's veterinarian decided a rabies
test would be a good idea since it had suddenly
lost all motor skills a couple of days before
being euthanized. [Other diseases that may have
caused a loss of motor skills might include tick
paralysis or botulism - Mod.TG]

Both of the dog's owners and the veterinarian
were surprised at the course the animal's illness
had taken when they learned of the rabies
diagnosis. Apparently healthy at 10:30 p.m. on 5
Oct 2010 the dog was discovered in a near
comatose state at 4:30 a.m. the next day. The
veterinarian was unable to effect any improvement
in the dog after giving it 2 days of supportive
care. All parties involved remarked upon the fact
that the dog's signs were not what people
traditionally associate with the rabies virus.

The case demonstrates the continued need for
residents of areas where rabies is endemic to
avoid sick-acting animals or those whose behavior
simply doesn't seem normal and, most importantly,
to keep domestic pets vaccinated. Children should
be taught not to approach wildlife, even if the
animal appears helpless or injured. Unvaccinated
pets or livestock that die with neurological
symptoms should be tested for the virus if any
contact with humans or other domesticated animals
is suspected.

West Virginia residents and medical providers are
required to report an encounter that may have
resulted in a saliva or cerebrospinal fluid
exposure from any mammal to the local health
department within 24 hours. Health department
personnel are charged with taking appropriate
follow-up measures that protect victims of such
encounters from the prospect of being infected
with rabies virus, because if the virus reaches
the central nervous system before preventive
treatment can be given, it is considered to be
100 percent fatal.

The USDA continues to do research and preparation
that will enable the distribution of oral rabies
vaccine in Greenbrier County. The vaccine will be
strategically air-dropped within the county and
is a new experimental formulation of the vaccine
that has traditionally been dropped by USDA in
the perimeter geography of areas where rabies is
endemic. It is estimated that the distribution of
this experimental vaccine bait will begin next
autumn.

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[To be clear, oral rabies bait has been used for
years. There are various formulations and flavors
depending upon the animal species that is being
targeted. The newest flavor formulation that
seems to be out is a marshmallow flavor and
perhaps consistency. This may be the experimental
form that is being discussed in the article. -
Mod.TG]

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[6] Feline, possible human exposure Massachusetts
Date: 22 Oct 2010
Source: The Dorchester Reporter [edited]
<http://www.dotnews.com/2010/mascot-street-cat-test-positive-rabies-officials-seek-residents-who-mi>

Mascot Street cat tests positive for rabies.
--------------------------------------------
The Boston Public Health Commission reports a cat
in the Mascot Street area has tested positive for
the potentially fatal disease. [If the animal has
tested positive, then the animal is deceased. If
a human is exposed, it may also be a fatal
disease unless post exposure prophylaxis is
provided to the exposed victim. - Mod.TG]

In addition to 6 people now receiving shots, the
commission urges anybody who came into contact
with a roughly 10-year-old orange cat there
between 2 and 17 Oct 2010 -- or whose own pet
tangled with the cat -- to contact the Boston
Public Health Commission.

Public health official say the case shows the
importance of updating pet rabies shots - and of
avoiding contact with wild animals.

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[Public education regarding clinical signs of
both furious and dumb rabies is still needed.
Furthermore, public education about what
constitutes exposure is needed. The message of
'protect yourselves and your pet through
vaccination' has not yet reached everyone.
Vaccinating your pets can protect you and save
you the sadness of losing a pet. - Mod.TG]

See Also