Oil Not the Only Thing to Fear on the Gulf Coast!

A news release from the Mobile County Health Department on Friday, July 30th, confirms the diagnosis of a rabid cat from the 36693 ZIP code area in Mobile, Alabama. Officials said that a man was bitten while breaking up a fight between the cat and some dogs; the Mobile County man is currently undergoing treatment for rabies.

How does this affect us in Mississippi? Well, Mobile isn't that far away and many people vacation in or around that area; so it wouldn't be that difficult for it to show up here. From the MS State Dept. of Health: Rabid raccoons from Alabama are the cause of Mississippi's greatest threat. In 1997 in Mobile County, Alabama reported the first rabid raccoon close to the Mississippi border. The state of Alabama has found six additional rabid raccoons over the past five years.

When's the last time we had a case of rabies in MS? On September 27, 2005, a previously healthy boy aged 10 years in Mississippi died from encephalitis later attributed to rabies. This report, from the CDC, summarizes the boy's case, which identified bats at the boy's home as the source of rabies. This was the only case of human rabies diagnosed in the United States in 2005 and the first case in Mississippi since 1956.

This recent feline rabies diagnosis has prompted public health officials in the Mobile area to encourage pet owners to check their pet's rabies vaccination status. I would urge you to do the same. Some rabies vaccinations are good for 1 year and some are good for 3 years. Mississippi State law requires that all dogs and cats age 12 weeks and older be vaccinated for rabies by a licensed veterinarian. Be sure your pet is up to date. If unable to obtain records of your pet's vaccination, I would recommend getting another rabies vaccination to be sure he/she is protected.

Rabies is a disease of all mammals, including man, and is fatal if not properly prevented by a series of injections. The primary means of exposure is through a bite or scratch with contaminated saliva contacting the wound. Transmission of the deadly virus also occurs if saliva contacts a mucous membrane such as the eye or mouth. Any wild animals that suddenly appear friendly, docile or approach humans should be considered suspect of being infected, and therefore avoided. Nocturnal animals such as raccoons and foxes that become active in the daytime should also be avoided. Dr. Bert Eichold, Mobile Health Officer, cautions people not to approach stray animals, wildlife and bats. “If a wild or stray animal is found around your home, it is best to contact animal control professionals,” he says.

From the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention): Human rabies is preventable with proper wound care and timely and appropriate administration of PEP (Postexposure Prophylaxis ) after exposure (CDC reference article). PEP is recommended for all persons with a bite, scratch, or mucous-membrane exposure to a bat (or other rabies suspected mammal) unless the bat tests negative for rabies. When a bat is found in close proximity to humans, it should be submitted to a public health laboratory for diagnostic testing, if it can be captured safely. If the animal is not available for testing, PEP should be administered when a strong probability exists that exposure occurred. However...once clinical signs of rabies develop, PEP is no longer effective and a rapid, progressive, and usually fatal encephalitis ensues.

This report underscores the need for increasing public awareness of the risk for rabies after contact with bats and other wildlife. Persons bitten by a potentially rabid animal should immediately 1) wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water; 2) capture the animal, if this can be done safely (avoiding direct contact with the animal) and submit it for testing; 3) report the incident to local or state public health officials; and 4) see a physician for treatment and evaluation regarding the need for PEP. Persons should not handle nor keep bats as pets and should exclude bats from living quarters, public places, and structures adjacent to the home. Recognizing the risk for rabies from any direct exposure to bats and other wildlife is critical, and persons must seek prompt medical evaluation if exposed.

Check with your veterinarian to be sure your pet's rabies vaccination is up to date; also remember it's a state law to keep your rabies certificate handy and be sure your pet wears his/her rabies tag.