Rabies%20Control%20Program

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Rabies Control Program

• 4-H Veterinary Science
• Extension Veterinary Medicine 
• Texas AgriLife Extension Service
• College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical
  Science
• Texas AM System
• http//aevm.tamu.edu

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Objectives

• Understand that because rabies is a reportable
  disease, it has been controlled
• Understand that health regulations for rabies
  prevent its spread among animals and to humans

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History

• Human deaths/year
• 1940s 40
• 1980 lt2
• Cases reported
• Prior to 1958 most in domestic animals
• After 1958 most in wild animals
• Only 15 of reported cases now occur in domestic
  animals

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Rabies

• Definition
• Viral disease of warm-blooded animals
• Disease of overpopulation
• Affects the central nervous system
• Zoonotic
• Reportable

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Causative Agent

• Caused by strains of rabies virus
• Wildlife strains
• Skunk
• Coyote
• Fox
• Raccoon
• Bat
• Wild animal reservoirs

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• Since 1980 in the U.S., more than 90of the
  domestically acquired human rabies cases were
  from bats

-CDC
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Transmission

• Transmitted by all warm-blooded animals
• Saliva is the primary means of transmission

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• Can enter the body by
• Bites
• Breaks/scratch in the skin
• Average incubation period is 3-8 weeks
• Saliva of skunks contains more rabies virus than
  any other species

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• High-Risk Species
• Skunks
• Coyotes
• Foxes
• Raccoons
• Bats

• Low-Risk Species
• Opossums
• Armadillos
• Rabbits
• Rats
• Mice
• Squirrels
• Beavers

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Diagnosis

• Aka hydrophobia
• Animal cant drink due to throat paralysis
• Saliva accumulation
• Mad dog look
• Veterinarian submits brain to lab
• Lab test

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• Three phases of the disease
• Incubation period
• Clinical signs
• Paralysis

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• Clinical symptoms (behavior change)
• Anorexia
• Apprehension
• Nervousness
• Irritability
• Hyperexcitability
• Ataxia (loss of muscle coordination)
• Altered temperament

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• Post-exposure prophylaxis decision
• Species of biting animal
• Vaccination status of animal
• Provoked vs. not provoked
• Prevalence of rabies in the area

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• If human or animal is bitten
• Find the animal
• Do not shoot the suspected animal in the head
• Contact local health official

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• Treatment
• Wash wound immediately
• Consider post-exposure prophylaxis
• Not a foregone conclusion
• Rarely an emergency

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Prevention

• Dont adopt wild animals
• Vaccinate
• Avoid contact with wild animals
• Discourage potential rabies reservoirs from
  inhabiting premises around home
• Eliminate brushy, grassy areas for wildlife
  nesting
• Keep pet and livestock foods away from
  wildlife
• Eliminate wild persimmon trees and berry vines
  that attract wildlife

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Regulation and Control

• Need an informed and cooperative public
• Immunization of all owned dogs and cats (gt3
  months)
• Registration and licensing
• Keep records for 3 years
• Impoundment of strays
• Quarantine of rabies suspects

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• Rabies Vaccination Certificate

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• Quarantine
• 10 days
• Healthy animal bites someone
• 45 days
• Vaccinated
• 90 days
• Un-vaccinated
• Wild animal
• Euthanize immediately and test

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• Local Rabies Control Authority (LRCA)
• Health and Safety Code 826.017 - Commissioners
  Court of each county and local governing body of
  each municipality shall designatelocal rabies
  control authority
• Can be health official, animal control officer,
  peace officer or any other entity

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Vaccination

• Administered by or under supervision of a
  veterinarian
• Immunized dogs and cats serve as a barrier
  between humans and wildlife
• Vaccinate all dogs and cats at 3 months of age
  and revaccinate yearly
• Certificate of vaccination will be issued and
  retained
• No rabies vaccine is licensed for use in wild
  animals