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Rabies Brochure
Click the link above to review an informative Rabies brochure developed by the American Veterinary Medical Association to help you better understand this deadly disease.
Sept 21, 2007 Record-breaking Number of Rabies Cases - All Among Bats
By Don Babwin: The Associated Press CHICAGO - State health officials and wildlife experts have no answer for a worrisome statistic: The number of rabies cases in Illinios this year is the highest on record. So far, there have been 99 confirmed rabies cases - all among bats - almost double the previous high of 51, set in 2004 and 2005. There have been no reported cases of human infections, although a handful of people who came in contact with bats have undergone rabies shots as a precaution. Officials are warning people not to touch bats and to call authorities if they see bats lying on the ground or flying during the day. "If you see a bat in the day time, especially on the ground, that's a pretty solid indication they are diseased," said Vic Reato, a spokesman for the Will County Health Department. A bat found in a Joliet swimming pool earlier this month was the latest confirmed with rabies, state health officials confirmed Wednesday. They said the reasons for the spike are unclear. The percentage of bats that tested positive for rabies in Illinois has climbed to 9 percent this year, from the typical 3 percent to 5 percent, state public health department veterinarian Connie Austin said. One possible explanation is that construction on previously undeveloped land has led to more people sharing land with wildlife, said Reato. That also might explain why most of the rabies cases have been in rapidly developing Cook, DuPage, Will, McHenry and Lake counties, he said.
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Fox with Rabies Identified in Champaign County - September 2005
Dr. Connie Austin, Illinois Department of Public Health On September 15, 2005, the Illinois Department of Public Health laboratory in Springfield reported that a fox from Champaign County tested positive for rabies. The fox was collected by Champaign County Animal Control. This fox is the first terrestrial mammal (non-bat) testing positive for rabies in Champaign County since 1984 when a skunk tested positive. The last time a fox tested positive for rabies in the state was in 1989 in a fox from Kankakee County. Further testing to identify the rabies variant that affected the fox will be performed. PLEASE VACCINATE YOUR PETS! Rabies vaccination of dogs, cats and ferrets are recommended. Also consider vaccination of valuable livestock and horses. If you see wild animals, such as bats, foxes or skunks, acting abnormally, avoid these animals and report this to your local animal control agency. In Illinois from January 1 through September 15, 2005, 40 animals have tested positive for rabies. The animals testing positive include 32 bats, 6 skunks, one cow and one red fox. The 6 rabid skunks and cow are from a three county area in north central Illinois (LaSalle, DeKalb and Lee County). More information about Red Foxes are available at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website: |
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May 25,
2005 The number of confirmed
cases of rabies have increased from 4 to 11 in a month's
time. Illinois now has 11
confirmed cases of rabies in 2005: 4 skunks
1 cow
6 bats
The terrestrial animals (skunks and cow) have all been reported
from LaSalle and DeKalb counties. Another Rabies Case Identified in
Illinois
On April 20, 2005, the Illinois
Department of Public Health laboratory in Springfield reported that
a skunk trapped in LaSalle County had tested rabies positive. The
skunk was trapped for surveillance purposes by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA), Wildlife Services to assist in evaluating
skunk rabies in this area of the state. The animal was trapped on
April 19 in northwest LaSalle County. The skunk was subdued, had
wounds and did not spray when the trap was moved. No human or
animal exposures to rabies occurred.
From Jan. 1 to April 21, four rabid animals have been identified in
Illinois: a Bureau County cow that had been purchased from LaSalle
County, a bat from Hancock County, a bat from Winnebago County and
the skunk caught in LaSalle County. Circulation of terrestrial
animal rabies determines actions that need to be taken in regards
to rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) after bites from domestic
animals that escape and cannot be rabies tested or cannot be
confined for 10 days. When rabies virus is not circulating in
terrestrial animals (such as skunks), rabies PEP is usually not
recommended for these types of bites. When rabies virus is
circulating in terrestrial animals, rabies PEP may need to be
recommended when domestic animals bite persons and cannot be
observed or tested.
The identification of a skunk with rabies in LaSalle County close
to where a horse (December 2004) and a cow (January 2005) tested
positive for rabies is of great concern. This is the first rabid
skunk identified in the state in six years.
To avoid exposure to rabies, citizens should avoid contact with
wild, unfamiliar or stray animals and report animals that are
acting abnormally to their local animal control. If bitten by an
animal, citizens should report the bite to animal control and seek
medical attention.
Veterinarians in LaSalle, Lee and Bureau counties can assist with
rabies prevention activities by encouraging rabies vaccination of
pets and valuable livestock and by encouraging their clients not to
allow their pets to roam free. In addition, veterinarians in this
area of the state, should be alert for animals acting abnormally
that might be carrying rabies and submit these animals for rabies
testing to the Illinois Departments of Agriculture or Public Health
laboratories. Veterinarians and their staff, especially in these
three counties, should ensure they are up-to-date on rabies
pre-exposure vaccination. Titers should be checked every two years
and if the titer is below 1:5 a booster rabies vaccination is
needed.
The public health community appreciates the support of USDA in
trapping skunks in this area to better evaluate rabies
activity. Cow
with Rabies Identified in Bureau
County
On Jan. 13, 2005, the
Illinois Department of Agriculture laboratory in Galesburg reported
that a cow from Bureau County tested positive for rabies. The
cow had experienced onset on Jan. 6 of fever that progressed to weakness, head pressing,
in-coordination and paralysis. On January 12 the cow was submitted
to the laboratory for testing. The Bureau County Health
Department was notified and began an investigation to determine
individuals with a need for rabies post-exposure prophylaxis
(PEP). At least five individuals, including three
veterinarians, are receiving rabies PEP and others are being
evaluated for exposure. All three veterinarians were pre-exposure
vaccinated and will only require a series of two rabies
vaccinations for rabies PEP. Samples of the brain tissue are being
sent to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention so that
the strain of rabies virus affecting this animal can be
established. Animals in contact with the rabid animal will be
managed appropriately by local animal control and the Illinois
Department of Agriculture. This cow is the second domestic animal identified
as rabid in the past month in the north central area of the
state. The other rabid animal was a horse identified in
neighboring LaSalle County. Two cases in a short time period
has raised concerns about rabies in skunks in this area of the
state. Counties in the northern one-third of the state* should
consider enhancing their skunk surveillance by increasing the
numbers of skunks tested for rabies. Rabies vaccinated dogs and cats that may have been
bitten by wild animals possibly carrying rabies should be
revaccinated immediately and confined for 30 days. Unvaccinated
dogs and cats bitten by wild animals that may carry rabies should
be euthanized. An alternative is to rabies vaccinate them
after a bite and immediately place them under strict confinement
for six months. If the animal is normal at five months of
confinement, the animal should be revaccinated and remain in
confinement an additional 30 days. Dog and cat owners should be warned about the
potential risk of rabies and urged to watch their pets for behavior
changes or other signs of rabies. Veterinarians should report
rabies exposed pets to local animal control and verify with them
the location of confinement for the exposed pet. *The counties in the northern one-third of the
state include: Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage,
Grundy, Henry, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle,
Lee, Livingston, Marshall, McHenry, Ogle, Putnam, Rock Island,
Stark, Stephenson, Whiteside, Will, and Winnebago. Striped Skunk
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Animal Rabies Update
From the Illinois Department of Agriculture
Animal Health Newsletter- Vol. 8, No. 1, November 2004
Forty-eight rabid bats have been identified in Illinois from January 1, 2004 through November 9, 2004. August and September are the biggest months for bat exposures in the state. At this time the bats are moving around and exposing people and pets. About 5 to 10 percent of bats tested in the state test positive for rabies. In a recent situation, four teenagers were exposed to a bat after rescuing it from a pool and were started on rabies post-exposure treatment. In another situation a bat entered the living quarters of a home and a colony was found in the attic of a rental property. Family members had to receive rabies post-exposure treatment.
It is not possible to identify bat bites through physical examination of an animal or person because bat teeth are so small. Therefore, if a pet (dog or cat) or human is exposed to a bat it is very important to have animal control submit the bat for rabies testing. Although bats are protected by wildlife laws, they can be submitted for rabies testing when an exposure occurs to a pet or person. If the bat cannot be tested for rabies, it should be assumed that the pet was exposed to rabies if the pet is found in the house with a bat, or in close enough proximity to a bat for a bite to have occurred. If the animal is up-to-date on its rabies vaccinations before the exposure occurs it should be revaccinated for rabies immediately and confined for 30 days. If the animal is not up-to-date on its rabies vaccination there are two options: euthanasia or a 6-month confinement with immediate rabies vaccination and another rabies vaccination 5 months later. If a client calls you about a possible pet exposure to a bat, please also refer them to their local public health department for advice on whether any humans were exposed sufficiently to the bat to require rabies post-exposure treatment if the bat cannot be tested negative. Do not recommend a client release a bat without testing until they talk to their local health department to see if the bat needs to be tested for rabies due to either pet or human exposures.
We have had some confusion on the part of animal control agencies in the past few months about when animals can be submitted to state laboratories for rabies testing. Animals can be submitted for testing for the following reasons: 1) animal is exhibiting neurologic signs and may be carrying rabies, 2) animal has potentially exposed a pet or person to rabies by biting or other types of saliva exposure, 3) with bats, exposure also includes when bats are found in living quarters, and 4) any skunk can be tested for surveillance purposes.
One final point: human rabies vaccine is in short supply at this time. Manufacturers are recommending that pre-exposure rabies vaccinations be postponed so needed supplies will be available for post-exposure prophylaxis. It is hoped that the supply problem will improve over the next 6 months. |
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