- Hello Jeff - El Paso County, Colorado is having an 'unprecedented'
outbreak of Rabies. It is urgent that the county enforce Rabies preventive
measures before the virus spreads to other counties and eventually across
the entire four corners region.
-
- This outbreak has been a long time coming and it should
have been predicted.
-
- It is incumbent upon ranchers to vaccinate their livestock
and pets.
-
- The 6 steps listed below are a good way for people to
protect themselves. Remember, vaccinate livestock and pets so that it
will not become necessary for humans to undergo the Rabies post-exposure
protocol. The rabies vaccine and immune globulin are very dangerous.
However, if one is bitten or scratched or exposed to rabies virus, the
post exposure protocol is the only way to prevent a fatal result. -- Patty
-
- RABIES, BOVINE, FELINE - USA - (COLORADO) Mountain lion,
cow latest rabies victims in eastern El Paso County By Brian Newsome Gazette.com
9-28-9 Back-to-back cases of a rabid mountain lion and a cow in eastern
El Paso County have provided the latest evidence of the fatal disease's
sudden resurgence in the area in recent months.
-
- The animals were euthanized late last week [week of 21
Sep 2009] after displaying bizarre behavior, and their positive tests for
rabies were announced Monday [28 Sep 2009]. The cases come just 2 weeks
after a rabid horse was euthanized in the Black Forest area, and Colorado's
top veterinarian says northern and eastern El Paso County appear to be
among the worst places for rabies statewide. "This area around Calhan
and Peyton seems to be rather interesting right now," said Keith Roehr.
-
- It's not clear how the lion and cow were infected, but
health officials speculate the cases are tied to skunk rabies, which recently
surfaced in El Paso County for the 1st time since 1970. Since then, 8 skunks
have tested positive, most in the north and eastern parts of the county.
-
- The mountain lion attacked a man's pet dog about 2:30
pm Thursday [24 Sep 2009] in the Peyton area, said Michael Seraphin, a
spokesman with the Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW). The man kicked
the lion, which at first did not let go but eventually retreated to the
man's garage. The man trapped it in the garage until DOW officers arrived.
DOW tranquilized the lion and decided to submit it for rabies testing,
because the daytime attack, the lion's location, and its response to the
man were all unusual. The results came back positive Monday evening [28
Sep 2009]. It was not known Monday whether the dog was current on its rabies
vaccine. [To test the lion for rabies, the animal was dead and its head
and brain submitted for testing. - Mod.TG]
-
- On Friday [25 Sep 2009], a rabid cow in the Calhan area
was euthanized. Veterinarian Robert DeAngelo examined the cow, which was
standing on its back legs only and had a look in its eyes "like nobody's
home," DeAngelo said. He got the cow to stand and it wobbled, another
tell tale sign of rabies. DeAngelo, his veterinary technician, and the
cow's owner were all exposed to the virus from the cow and are getting
treated. DeAngelo received 7 injections Saturday (26 Sep 2009) and must
undergo one injection a week for the next month
-
- (For CDC's guidance on post-exposure prophylaxis, see:
http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/exposure/postexposure.html - Mod.SH)
-
- Veterinarians and health officials are urging people
to vaccinate their pets, and in many cases their livestock. Although livestock
in Colorado is not traditionally at risk of rabies, the cow and horse are
evidence that's changing. Roehr said skunks tend to reside near outbuildings,
so animals on the open plains are at as great of a risk as those on ranchettes
or closer to neighborhoods and buildings.
-
- DeAngelo also warned livestock owners against buying
vaccine from supply stores and doing it themselves. Without a veterinarian's
supervision, there's no way to know whether it was done properly or if
the animal is adequately protected.
-
- Although confirmed cases are generally occurring in the
same parts of the county, health officials are working under an assumption
that the disease could be anywhere, and they say the public should do the
same. "You have to assume it's in the whole county and not just these
isolated areas," said Shannon Rowe, communicable disease program manager
for the El Paso County Department of Health and Environment.
-
- Rabies Prevention
-
- a. get pets, horses, and other high-value livestock vaccinated
b. don't feed wild animals or allow your pets around them. Make sure children
stay away from wild animals c. contact the vet if a pet is bitten or scratched
by a wild animal d. call a doctor immediately if you suspect you've been
exposed to rabies e. stay away from an animal exhibiting bizarre behavior,
such as a nocturnal animal like a skunk wandering about during the day
f. if you must remove a dead skunk on your property, wear rubber gloves
or lift the carcass with a shovel or other tool, and double-bag it for
the trash.
-
- http://www.gazette.com/articles/span-62849-rabies-cow.html
-
- -- communicated by: ProMED-mail correspondent Susan Baekeland
-
- If the virus was typed, it would tell us what strain
of rabies these animals had. It would also give the DOW insight into what
animal and strain is causing the problem. While skunk strain may be found
in raccoons, it is not nearly as likely as skunk strain in skunks.
-
- Also, the cow exposed a number of people. Rabies in cattle
mimics so many diseases that generally many people are exposed before rabies
percolates to the top of the differential list. It is an excellent reason
why even cattle need to be vaccinated against rabies.
-
- Post exposure prophylaxis can be given shortly after
exposure to rabies and prevent the disease in the exposed person. It is
a series of shots but they are administered in the muscle of the arm or
buttocks, not the stomach as the old rumor had it.
-
- The state of Colorado can be located on the HealthMap/ProMED-mail
interactive map of the US at http://healthmap.org/r/00Ft. El Paso County,
in central Colorado, can be seen on the map of the state at http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/states/colorado/colorado-county-map.html
. - Mod.TG
-
-
- Patricia A. Doyle DVM, PhD Bus Admin, Tropical Agricultural
Economics Univ of West Indies Please visit my "Emerging Diseases"
message board at: http://www.emergingdisease.org/phpbb/index.php Also my
new website: http://drpdoyle.tripod.com/ Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa
Go with God and in Good Health
-
|
