rabies and wildlife - justice clearinghouse · 2019. 10. 17. · 10/17/2019 1 rabies and wildlife...

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Rabies and Wildlife

• Rabies is a virus that infects wildlife: bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes

• Rabies virus can’t go through unbroken skin.

• People can get rabies only via a bite from a rabid animal or possibly through scratches, abrasions, open wounds or mucous membranes in contact with saliva or brain tissue from a rabid animal.

• Rabies is 100% preventable with post‐exposure prophylaxis (PEP) that includes a rabies vaccine ‐as long as people get PEP before symptoms start.

• The rabies virus is short‐lived when exposed to open air—

Key facts

Picture credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

What is Rabies?

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In the US < 3 people die as a result of rabies every year.

In the US, Canine rabies was successfully controlled during the late 1970s and since the 1980’s Wildlife has accounted for >90% of all rabid animals reported

Globally, an estimated 59,000 people die of rabies every year

> 99% of these deaths is a result of infection with the Rabies Virus Variant found in dogs.

Human deaths from rabies Globally vs in the United States

Two human rabies cases have been reported in the United States from January 2018 through October 2018.

How did the 2 deaths in the US occur?

Rabies in the US

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Common Carriers of rabies by location in the US

https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/exposure/animals/wildlife_reservoirs.html

Which is of these species of urban wildlife might be presenting symptoms of Rabies?

POLL

Which of those animals appeared rabid in the earlier ?

a) The groundhog b)The Racoon out in the daylightc) The coyote loafing in the grassd)The racoon eating the food with the catse)The opossum baring his teethf) None of the aboveg) All of the above

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How Rabies is Presented

The Typical Myths Surrounding Rabies & Wildlife

All raccoons, foxes, skunks are rabid!

Any raccoon, fox, opossum or skunk seen by day is rabid!

Post‐exposure treatment consists of painful shots to the stomach!

Rabies is airborne, you can get it from being in the vicinity of a rabid animal!

Rabies can be contracted by exposure to the blood of an RVS species.

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AgitationAnxietyConfusionHyperactivityDifficulty swallowingExcessive salivationFear of waterInsomniaPartial paralysis

Human Symptoms

The Infectious Path of the Rabies Virusin a Raccoon

Raccoon is bitten by a rabid animal.

Rabies virus enters the raccoon through

infected saliva.

Rabies virus spreads through the nerves to

the spinal cord and then to the brain.

The virus incubates in raccoon’s body for

approximately 3‐12 weeks. *Raccoon has

no signs of illness during this time.

When it reaches the brain, the virus

multiplies rapidly, passes to the salivary

glands, and the raccoon begins to show signs

of the disease.

The infected animal usually dies

within about 4‐7 days of becoming sick.

Schematic Rabies Transmission

Animal not infectious

until virus shed in saliva

Incubation can take

weeks to months (avg.

45 days)

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Possible Clinical Signs of Rabies

Disorientation

Partial paralysis, circling

Loss of balance, drunken movements

Unprovoked aggression

Uncharacteristic tameness

High‐pitched continual vocalization*

Self‐mutilation*

There is a clear association between puncture wounds

and risk of developing rabies

(NY Wildlife Pathology Lab)

Puncture Wounds Are a Red Flag

What the public should look for:

Neurologic and other

rabies signs, combined

with daytime sighting,

may indicate rabies but

not daytime sightings

alone…

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What Makes Rabies More “Controllable” Than Other Diseases?

Rabies is not spread in urine,

feces, blood, or inhalation of

aerosolized virus *

Rare cases: organ and corneal

transplants /lab workers

Virus is short‐lived and fragile,

dies on contact with air when

saliva dries up

Rabies can be contracted by exposure to an open wound to the blood or guano of a bat exhibiting symptoms of rabies:

TRUE

FALSE

POLL

The Good News

There have been very few human

deaths to rabies in the USA

(average 1‐3 a year)

Most human deaths were either

contracted overseas (canine strain) or

are domestic bat strain

Almost all US fatalities were caused by

a bite from a clinically rabid animal

Rabies is 100% treatable if post‐

exposure shots administered

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Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)

PEP in the US can consist of:

• Immediate wound washing

• infiltration of the wound with human rabies immune globulin

• IM administration of 4 doses of cell culture–derived vaccine on days 0, 3 7, and 14.

Surprising Statistic

You are more likely to die from a

jelly fish sting, lightning strike or

lawnmower accident!

However, it’s absolutely critical to

get prompt treatment if bitten by

a potentially rabid animal.

Distribution of major rabies virus variants in the United States and Puerto Rico (2013 to 2016)

Source: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical AssociationDecember 15, 2018, Vol. 253, No. 12, Pages 1555-1568

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A sense of the numbers in the US

In 2017

52 jurisdictions reported 4,454 rabid animals to the CDC

AND

91% of those cases involved wildlife species


Rabies Cases by Wildlife Species (2017)

Out of 4055 rabid wild animals:

Bats represented 32.2% (1,433)

Raccoons represented 28.6% (1,275)

Skunks represented 21.1% (939)

Foxes represented 7% (314)


US Cases of rabies in wildlife1966‐2017


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BATS


Raccoons


Skunks


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Oral Rabies Vaccination Program

Oral rabies vaccination program

currently underway by USDA

Wildlife Services throughout US.

Goal: to create buffer /have those

immunized individuals stay in the

population so disease dead‐ends.

Oral Rabies Vaccination Map

Wildlife Services FY 2019 ORV Map

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Will trapping help control rabies?

No, health authorities such as

the CDC, World Health

Organization, CT Dept. of

Public Health recommend

against the trapping of wildlife

to control rabies … for the

simple reason that it doesn’t

work!

What the Experts Say“Trapping to control rabies is considered to be an exercise in futility in the face of a rabies

outbreak, because the disease itself will limit the population and clinically rabid animals are

rarely caught in traps.”

‐ Dr. John Debbie, in Rabies Control in Wildlife

What the Experts Say

“Sero‐surveys have indicated that as many as 20% of free‐ranging raccoons within a rabies

epizootic area may possess natural rabies VNA (virus neutralizing antibodies).”

‐ CE Rupprech et al, 1988, Efficacy of a vaccinia‐rabies glycoprotein recombinant virus vaccine in

raccoons

‐ R Mclean 1975, in The Natural History of Rabies, Editor GM Baer

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How to protect the public:

Respond to potential exposure

cases or emergencies/ public

safety situations

Respond to rabies suspect

behaviors

Help public distinguish

potentially rabid animals

(outreach, education, etc)

What Is Exposure?

Exposure is defined as either

Bite Exposure: any penetration of the skin by the teeth of a rabid animal

or

Non‐bite Exposure: Scratches, abrasions, open wounds or mucous membranes contaminated with saliva or brain

tissue from a rabid animal. Non‐bite exposures from

terrestrial animals rarely cause rabies.

Source: Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Bats‐ Exposure vs Rehabilitation

Exposure criteria for testing bats found in a residence:

Bitten and knows he/she’s been

bitten

Direct contact with a bat and can’t be

sure he/she wasn’t bitten

Wakes up to find a bat in the room

Walks into a room and sees a bat in

the room where there is also a small

child or mentally impaired person

who could not articulate whether or

not he/she had been bitten

Walks into a room and finds a bat in a

room with an unsupervised domestic

pet

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Animals that rarely or never carry rabies:

Small mammals such as squirrels,

rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs,

gerbils, chipmunks, rabbits, and

hares are almost never found to

be infected with rabies and

have not been known to

cause rabies among humans in

the United States.

(CDC Apr 22, 2011)

Good models & approaches

1. Build resources and information for the

public to increase their understanding

2. Work on protocols to reduce unnecessary

field response and unnecessary removal of

wildlife for testing when and exposure can

be ruled out and the animal is healthy

3. Fielding calls to advise to the public on how

to solve problems and how to raise

awareness about issues like rabies.

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Good models: Connecticut

Public options for true conflicts or

public nuisance wildlife problems:

DEP (fish and game agency):

staff give advice and website

Commercial wildlife control

.

BCI Slide

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Precautions

Despite the long odds of contracting rabies, the remote possibility of infection exists and should not be

taken lightly:

Don't approach or handle wild animals.

Vaccinate your pets—both cats and dogs—and any free‐roaming cats under your care.

If you see a wild animal who may be sick, contact your local animal control, veterinarian or wildlife

rehabilitator for help. Don't handle sick wildlife!

If anyone is bitten by any wild animal, get medical advice from a doctor or health department

immediately.

If your pet is bitten by any wild animal, get medical advice from your veterinarian immediately.

Good models: Aurora, CO

Animal Control had a trap loan program until early ’90’s

Replaced with “info loan” program

Noted sharp decline in complaints, overall staff time, and in trap loan requests

ACOs now spend their time educating the public instead of loaning/setting traps

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rabies and wildlife - justice clearinghouse · 2019. 10. 17. · 10/17/2019 1 rabies and wildlife...

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