Rabies: Is it a threat to pets and humans?
While rabies is no longer an immediate threat to public health in the United States, it is still worth monitoring and tracking the condition due to a new carrier identified by researchers.
The report does not come from veterinarians in Virginia Beach, rather from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which the primary mode of the transmission currently is from bats, rather than dogs.
A recent report indicated that 7 out of 10 cases of rabies in the US are from these little flying mammals, especially those that come from the wild.
What changed?
The CDC revelation came in the heels of a study conducted by researchers based on medical records covering a span of 80 years, from 1938 to 2018.
The study found that most infections reports by pet hospitals or veterinarians near me indicated that most rabies infections were from dog bites until 1960.
This was followed by massive efforts nationwide to require pet vaccinations and strictly enforce leash control laws.
“Reducing rabies in dogs is a remarkable achievement of the U.S. public health system, but with this deadly disease still present in thousands of wild animals, it’s important that Americans are aware of the risk,” CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said.
After 1960, the rabies cases reported in humans came from wildlife species, particularly bats. The disease infected around 125 humans and the majority of the infections at around 70% resulted from bat scratches or bites, while the rest was due to human contact with skunks, raccoons or foxes.
What is the extent of health damage from rabies?
After 1960, the rabies cases reported in humans came from wildlife species, particularly bats. The disease infected around 125 humans and the majority of the infections at around 70% resulted from bat scratches or bites, while the rest was due to human contact with skunks, raccoons or foxes.
When someone gets infected, the effects can be deadly especially without treatment. In the United States, rabies fatalities usually range between 30 to 50 people a year back in the 1940s which dwindled down to around three deaths per year after the massive vaccination of pet dogs and cats.
Post-exposure treatment also became effective with the availability of immune globulins which are proteins that trigger the defense system of the body in fighting off the infection.
It is a viral infection in mammals that gets transmitted through the saliva of infected animals. The virus comes through an open wound and into the nerves where it travels to the spinal cord and the brain within a period of 12 weeks.
Household pets are not exempt from rabies infection as well and the effects can be equally fatal as with humans.
Most of the fatalities in the US is due to people being unaware that they have the disease and contracted it from contact with wildlife.
The CDC said it is still important to provide awareness regarding rabies and reminds the public regarding prevention measures such as avoiding wildlife, vaccination of pets and immediately seek medical attention with veterinarians in Virginia Beach after getting in contact with animals.
