What is rabies?
Rabies is a preventable viral
disease of mammals most often transmitted
through the bite of a rabid animal. The vast
majority of rabies cases reported to the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each
year occur in wild animals like raccoons,
skunks, bats, and foxes. In 2001, 7,437 cases of
rabies were reported in the United States. Wild
animals accounted for 93% of these cases.
Raccoons accounted for almost 40% of reported
cases.
Are dogs and cats at risk?
Domestic animals account for
approximately 7%of the reported rabies cases, with
cats, cattle, and dogs most often reported rabid.
How can people get rabies?
People usually get rabies from the
bite of a rabid animal. It is also possible,
but quite rare, that people might get rabies if
infectious material from a rabid animal, such
as saliva, gets directly into their eyes, nose,
mouth or a wound. Non-bite exposures to rabies are
very rare. Scratches or abrasions contaminated
with saliva from a rabid animal constitute
non-bite exposures. Other contact, such as
petting a rabid animal or contact with the
blood, urine or feces of a rabid animals, does not
constitute an exposure.
What are the symptoms of rabies in humans?
Rabies virus infects the central
nervous system, causing encephalopathy and
ultimately death. Early symptoms of rabies in humans
are nonspecific, consisting of fever,
headache, and general malaise. As the disease
progresses, neurological symptoms appear and may
include insomnia, anxiety, confusion, slight
or partial paralysis, excitation,
hallucinations, agitation, hyper salivation, difficulty
swallowing, and hydrophobia (fear of water). Death
usually occurs within days of the onset of
symptoms.
What to do to prevent rabies
- Keep vaccinations up-to-date for all dogs,
cats and ferrets. This not only protects
your pets, but also provides protection to
you.
- Keep your pets under supervision to avoid
contact with wild animals. If your pet is
bitten by a stray or wild animal, seek
veterinary assistance immediately.
- Call your local Animal Control to remove
any stray animals from your
neighborhood.
- Avoid contact with unfamiliar animals.
Teach children not to handle or pet
unfamiliar animals, even if they appear
friendly.
- Do not try to nurse sick, stray animals to
health. Call your local Animal Control.
Is rabies contagious?
Casual contact, such as touching a person with rabies or contact with non-infectious fluid
or tissue does not constitute an exposure, requiring
medical
treatment. In addition, contact with someone
who
is receiving rabies vaccination does not
constitute rabies exposure.
What medical treatment is available for
rabies?
Medical assistance should be obtained as
soon as possible after an exposure. Specific medical
attention for someone exposed is
“postexposureprophylaxis” — this is a regimen of one dose of
immune globulin and five does of rabies
vaccine over a 28-day period. This is a very
expensive process.
How can I get more information?
If you fear that you may have been exposed
to an animal with rabies, you should contact your physician immediately. You may also call
the Sedgwick County Health Department at
660-7392. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has
in-depth information about rabies available through
their website at www.cdc.gov.
©, Copyright, 2008 Sedgwick County Animal Control
last update:
03/29/08
Please report problems to the webmaster
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Your
Government
