Rabies surveillance in BCMelissa McLaws, DVM, PhD

14th Zoonoses SymposiumNovember 10, 2015

Outline

Rabies: surveillance and response in BC Results from 2015 Case Studies: Theresa Burns

Acknowledgements BCCDC: Drs. Eleni Galanis, Jennifer Koeman Ministry of Agriculture: Drs. Brian Radke, Jane

Pritchard Ministry of Environment: Dr. Helen Schwantje College of BC Veterinarians: Dr. John Brocklebank Centre for Coastal Health: Drs. Theresa Burns and

Tyler Stitt Colleagues in other provinces....

Rabies Rabies virus, Rhabdovirus family Zoonotic

Transmitted between mammals, through saliva or nervous tissue, usually by a bite

Almost all human cases from dog bites

Rabies Deadliest disease on earth: 99.9% fatality rate

~59,000 human deaths/year, about 60% of these in children under 5 years

About 95% human deaths in Africa and Asia

Rabies in BC• In BC, bats are only known reservoir

• Other parts of Canada also have fox, skunk, raccoon

• 4-8% of submitted bats test positive• Less than 0.5% all bats positive

• Others mammals infected with bat variant virus• Cats, horse, skunk, beaver

1 human case in BC, 2003

Consult BCCDC Public Health

Vet

YesYes NO

Veterinary Assessment

Possible rabid animal (bat, other wildlife, domestic animal)

Human contact? Human and animal contact?

Domestic animal contact

Refer human to health authority

If bat/wildlife available, consult wildlife vet

Yes NOSuspect animal available for testing?

VACCINATE

Up-to-date on vaccines Vaccinated: out of date

Never vaccinated

No further action

Negative

Domestic animal exposure?

Submit to CFIA for testing Veterinary public health management

Positive

Vaccination status?

Yes

Rabies in BC

0

5

10

15

20

25Animal rabies cases detected in BC

***

* 1 cat 2007** 4 skunks 2004

2015 results: Calls 107 calls January-October Suspect animal:

72 bats, 10 cats, 12 dogs, 7 raccoons 54% of calls were “a cat caught a bat” 70% calls from vet clinics

Up-to-date Unknown Never Out of Date TotalCat 22% (13) 5% (3) 44% (26) 29% (17) 59Dog 27% (3) 9% (1) 18% (2) 45% (5) 11

Vaccination Status

2015 results: Laboratory

Species Neg Pos Unsuitable

TotalBAT 55 10 4 69BOVINE 1 1

CAT 12 12COYOTE 1 1

DOG 5 5HUMAN 1 1

RACCOON 1 1Total 76 10 4 90

2015 results: Laboratory

Contact Neg Pos Unsuitable

TotalAnimal 39 1 2 42Both 12 1 2 15Human 21 3 24None 4 5 9Total 76 10 4 90

Reason for Submission

2015 results: Laboratory

Lab result Negative Positive Unsuitable

Discussion Intersection of human and animal health Puppies/kittens too young for vaccination Exposures with wildlife other than bats:

Raccoons, skunks, squirrels

Discussion Apparent low

vaccination coverage in dogs and cats Cost Anti-vaccine? Risk perception

Owners and vets

RISK

Probability Consequences

RISK

Probability Consequences

More than rabies… Animals as sentinels for human health risks

Reportable zoonoses Anaplasmosis, blastomycosis, leptospirosis,

echinococcus, balisascaris…. Data: pets, wildlife (incl urban), livestock…

Food safety issues Salmonella spp

Urban agriculture ….

Thank you for the attention!

Any questions?