Health District Advises—

First Rabies Case Of 2009 In Hawleyville

The Newtown Health District logged its first positive rabies result of the year late last week from a fox specimen that came from the Farrell Road neighborhood of Hawleyville.

“We received a call Friday morning from the animal control office and the Newtown Police Department that a pet dog had reportedly killed a fox,” Newtown Health District Donna Culbert told The Newtown Bee this week. “We are always concerned about potential exposure to the rabies virus, which is carried in the saliva of an infected animal.

“From 2000 through 2008, Newtown submitted 268 specimens to Connecticut’s Department of Public Health lab for testing,” she continued, “and 24 of those specimens testing positive for rabies. Twenty were raccoons, three were skunks, and one bat. Of course, we can now add the fox to that number.”

According to the World Health Organization, annually, approximately 55,000 people die of rabies and ten million receive post-exposure treatments worldwide. The majority of exposures are attributable to dog bites and 30–60 percent of the victims are children.

In the United States, where rabies in dogs has been largely eliminated, rabies is still widespread in wildlife and serves as a source of potential infection for other animals and people. Although human deaths are rare in the United States, the costs associated with detection, animal control and vaccination, and medical care including rabies post-exposure treatments is estimated to exceed $300 million annually.

“State law requires vaccination of cats and dogs, and that’s part of the reason why it’s so important to license your dogs,” Ms Culbert said. “It is essential that pet owners vaccinate their dogs and cats against rabies. Vaccination helps provide a safe buffer between rabies in wildlife and people.”

To help pet owners accomplish this task, Newtown is holding its annual community Rabies Clinic June 13, from 10 am to noon in the Edmond Town Hall Gym. The cost is $15 cash per animal.

Written proof (not tags) of prior vaccination for rabies or a current dog license must be presented to qualify for a three-year certificate. A one-year certificate will be given to all others.

Rabies is a viral disease in people caused by infection of the brain and spinal cord. People get rabies from the bite of an infected animal and potentially from other types of contact.

Symptoms progress over the course of several days from a flulike illness to encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) that may be characterized by confusion, agitation, hallucinations, and muscle paralysis. Once clinical signs of rabies appear, the disease is fatal.

Disease can be prevented by thorough wound cleaning and timely medical treatment that includes administration of one dose of immune globulin (antibodies) and five doses of vaccine over a four-week period.

Rabies prevention measures include avoiding contact with all wild or stray domestic animals, including feral cats.

“Leave young animals alone and never attempt to feed, pet, or handle them,” Ms Culbert warned. “Remember it is illegal to keep any wild animal as a pet. Let wildlife be wild and enjoy them from a safe and healthy distance; and remind children to stay away from all unknown animals.”

Other prevention tips include:

*Being a responsible pet owner. Vaccinate pets and livestock against rabies, keep pets under close supervision and do not allow them to roam, especially at night when wild animals are most active.

*Discouraging wildlife from living around homes by eliminating any potential sources of food or shelter. Animal proofing methods include securing garbage cans, feeding pets indoors, capping chimneys, screening crawl spaces, and closing garage doors.

*If bitten by an animal, people should wash the wound thoroughly, call a physician, and, for additional advice, contact the health department; if bitten by a domestic animal contact the animal control officer who will decide if testing or quarantine is necessary.

*If your pet is bitten, wear gloves when handling it or treating its wounds and contact the pet’s veterinarian for advice and treatment.

*Wild animals exhibiting paralysis, seizures, uncoordinated movement, or unprovoked aggression toward people or pets should be reported to the Department of Environmental Protection or, when immediate assistance is needed, the local police department or animal control officer. Primarily nocturnal animals such as raccoons, skunks, or foxes out during the day do not necessarily have rabies.

*Bats should be kept out of places where contact with people or pets may occur such as the living quarters of homes and schools. When a bat is found in the same room as a person who might be unaware that direct contact occurred, such as a baby or sleeping person, it should be safely captured and tested.

 Contact information and websites:

*The Newtown Health District at 270-4291; www.newtown-ct.gov

*The Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Emerging Infections Program, for questions regarding human exposures, 860-509-7994; www.ct.gov/dph

*The Department of Agriculture, Animal Control Division for questions regarding domestic animals at 860-713-2506; www.ct.gov/doag

*The Department of Environmental Protection, Wildlife Division for questions regarding wildlife at 860-424-3011; www.ct.gov/dep

*Newtown Police Department when prompt assistance is needed, 270-4255

*The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov

Any questions about the upcoming rabies clinic can be directed to the town clerk’s office at 270-4210.