What Happens If A Person Gets Bit By An Animal With Rabies

Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal or, less commonly, when saliva from an infected animal gets into an open wound or onto a mucous membrane.

Rabies is almost always fatal once clinical symptoms announced; however, it is 100% preventable in humans through prompt and appropriate medical intendance.  In addition to washing whatsoever bite wound with soap and water as before long as possible, fauna bite victims should consult with their doctor and promptly report the incident to the local health department.

Ohio's local wellness departments investigate approximately 20,000 animal bite and exposure incidents annually.  Because of wellness department activities and medical treatment, homo rabies is rare in the United States.  Ohio'due south concluding man rabies case was in 1970.

Human Rabies

Where does rabies occur in Ohio?

Bat-strain rabies is present everywhere in Ohio with rabid bats having been identified from most all of Ohio'due south counties over the years.

In 1997, a new strain of rabies in wild raccoons was introduced into northeastern Ohio from Pennsylvania.  Every yr, the Ohio Department of Health and other state and local agencies partner with the U.S. Department of Agronomics (USDA) Animal and Plant Wellness Inspection Service Wild fauna Services to immunize wild raccoons for rabies using an oral rabies vaccine.  This effort has created a barrier of immune animals that reduced animal cases and prevented the spread of raccoon-strain rabies into the remainder of Ohio.

The map below displays animal rabies cases past species in Ohio this yr.

Ohio Animal Rabies Incidence past Species and County, Ohio, 2022*
County	Bat	Raccoon	Skunk	Play tricks	Cat	Dog	Other	TOTAL
Fulton	ane							1
Hamilton	1							1
Licking	1							1
Wayne	ane							ane
Full	four							four

Source: Ohio Department of Health
* Information every bit of Apr. 4, 2022

Delight download the attached resources for animal rabies data for the previous v years.  Contact the Zoonotic Affliction Plan (ZDP) for beast rabies information for other years at Zoonoses@odh.ohio.gov.

How do you prevent rabies in people?

Human rabies is 100% preventable.  Here are a few things yous tin do to protect yourself from rabies.

In general:

• Avert contact with wild animals and animals you do not know.
• Vaccinate your animals confronting rabies; your veterinarian can vaccinate your pet to prevent them from acquiring the disease from wildlife, and thereby transmitting it to humans.
• Maintain control of your pets to reduce their exposure to wildlife.
• Spay or neuter to decrease the number of devious animals.
• Eliminate food and nesting or hiding places for wildlife from residential areas.
• Exercise not feed wild animals.  If you must feed your pets outside, bring the food in at night or keep information technology covered.

If you are bitten by animal:

• Wash whatsoever wounds immediately.  1 of the most constructive ways to subtract the chance for infection is to wash the wound thoroughly with lather and water.
• Phone call your doctor and your local wellness department; they may recommend that you get a series of shots commonly known as "rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)."
• If your pet fought with a wild animate being, call your veterinarian and the local health section to written report the incident; your animal may need to get a rabies vaccine and be isolated for a period of time.

Note: Rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is available for people working with wildlife or other animals on a frequent footing.  Inquire your healthcare provider if you think you lot demand rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis.

How does a person get rabies?

The rabies virus is found in the saliva and brain (neural tissue) of an infected brute.  The most common way people are exposed to rabies is from an animal bite.  Claret, urine, carrion, and skunk spray exercise non contain rabies virus.

Rabies exposures:

• Bite from a rabid animal.
• Scratches, abrasions, open up wounds, or mucous membranes contaminated with saliva or brain tissue from a rabid animal.

Rabies not-exposures:

• Petting a rabid animal.
• Existence in the aforementioned room as a rabid creature (bats are an exception to this rule).
• Coming in contact with blood, urine, feces, or skunk spray of a rabid fauna.

What kind of animals take rabies?

Any mammal can become rabies, just the animals almost probable to expose humans or other domestic animals to rabies are:

• Bats
• Cats
• Dogs
• Ferrets
• Horses
• Livestock
• Raccoons
• Skunks

Rabies is difficult to command in wildlife reservoir species; thus, private ownership of wild animals is not recommended (NASPHV 2016 Compendium, Part I, A, 8 Rabies in Wildlife).

Animals that are NOT considered carriers of rabies include:

• Amphibians
• Birds
• Chipmunks*
• Gerbils*
• Gophers*
• Guinea pigs*
• Hamsters*
• Hares/rabbits*
• Hedgehogs*
• Moles*
• Mice*
• Rats*
• Reptiles
• Shrews*
• Squirrels*
• Voles*

* Small rodents and rabbits are rarely infected with rabies; therefore, information technology is non recommended to test these species.  Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis for people exposed to these species is discouraged unless a unique situation has been identified.

What are the signs and symptoms of rabies in people?

The initial symptoms of rabies in people may mimic the flu.  An early diagnosis of rabies may exist missed if an animal seize with teeth is not reported.  If you accept been bitten past an fauna, report the incident to your healthcare provider and the local health department as soon equally possible.

Signs and symptoms of rabies may include:

• General weakness or discomfort
• Fever
• Headache
• Discomfort or a prickling/itching sensation at the site of the seize with teeth

Symptoms tin progress within days to:

• Cerebral dysfunction
• Anxiety
• Defoliation
• Agitation

Further progression will lead to:

• Delirium
• Abnormal behavior
• Hallucinations
• Insomnia

Once clinical signs of rabies announced, the disease is almost always fatal, and treatment is typically supportive.  To engagement, less than 20 documented cases of human survival from clinical rabies have been reported.

How do you lot know for sure that a person has rabies (diagnosis)?

Several tests are necessary to diagnose rabies ante-mortem (before decease) in humans; no single test is sufficient.  Your healthcare provider will likewise want to "rule out" other common diseases that may be a cause of your illness.

If rabies is highly suspected, your healthcare provider will collect the following samples:

• Saliva
• Serum
• Spinal fluid
• Pare biopsy or hair follicles at the nape of the neck

These samples must be sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for testing.

What should I do if I am bitten by an beast (treatment)?

In add-on to the chance of rabies, bite wounds can cause serious injury.  Your healthcare provider will decide the best way to care for your wound.

Rabies is a medical urgency and treatment should exist initiated before long after the exposure.  If the biting animal is bachelor for isolation or testing, you may not demand rabies shots right away.

Full general suggestions for wounds:

• Wash the wound right away with soap and water or a dilute water povidone-iodine solution.
• Get a tetanus shot if you haven't had 1 in the concluding 10 years.
• Your healthcare provider may propose antibiotics and primary wound closure.

Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (also known as rabies "PEP"):

These are shots given to a person that has been exposed to a suspected rabid animate being unable to exist isolated or tested.  Your healthcare provider or the local health department will help determine if you need to get rabies PEP.

The PEP may include:

• Homo Rabies Immunoglobulin (HRIG), if you haven't received a rabies shot in the past.
• Several rabies vaccines that are given over a period of fourth dimension.

Rabies PEP is costly.  Check with your insurance company to see if rabies PEP is covered nether your plan.  If you are uninsured or under-insured, you may qualify for financial assistance through the Sanofi Patient Connection.

What is being done to protect people from rabies in Ohio?

The Ohio Department of Wellness'due south Zoonotic Disease Plan (ZDP) conducts rabies prevention activities to protect Ohio residents from the spread of wildlife rabies to people, pets, and other animals.  Some of the program's activities include:

• Reviewing bat, raccoon, skunk, other wild animal, and domestic animate being rabies cases to decide control initiatives.
• Assisting local wellness departments with rabies prevention programs and coordinating rabies control activities amongst local, land, and federal agencies.
• Developing educational materials for the public.
• Providing consultation for public health workers, veterinarians, the medical customs, and others who work with animals and bargain with brute bites and rabies exposures.
• Collecting and maintaining data on rabies and fauna bites in Ohio.

Animal Rabies

Where does rabies occur in Ohio?

Bat-strain rabies is present everywhere in Ohio with rabid bats having been identified from near all of Ohio's counties over the years.

In 1997, a new strain of rabies in wile raccoons was introduced into northeastern Ohio from Pennsylvania.  Every year, the Ohio Department of Health and other state and local agencies partner with the U.Southward. Department of Agronomics (USDA) Creature and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services to immunize wild raccoons for rabies using an oral rabies vaccine.  This effort has created a barrier of immune animals that reduced animal cases and prevented the spread of raccoon-strain rabies into the rest of Ohio.

The map below displays brute rabies cases past species in Ohio this yr.

Ohio Fauna Rabies Incidence by Species and County, 2022*
Canton	Bat	Raccoon	Skunk	Play a trick on	Cat	Dog	Other	TOTAL
Fulton	ane							i
Hamilton	one							1
Licking	1							i
Wayne	i							1
Full	four							4

Source: Ohio Department of Health
* Data every bit of Apr. 4, 2022

Please download the attached resource for animal rabies information for the previous five years.  Contact the Zoonotic Illness Program (ZDP) for animate being rabies information for other years at Zoonoses@odh.ohio.gov.

How do you prevent rabies in animals?

Most rabies cases occur in wild fauna; however, your pet tin can become infected if they are bitten by a rabid wild animal, including bats that enter the house.  There are several things you can exercise to protect your pet from rabies:

• Maintain wellness visits for your pet and keep rabies vaccinations up-to-date (including indoor-only pets).
• Keep pets indoors or brand sure pets are under directly supervision when outdoors.
• Spay or neuter your pet to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may get unvaccinated.
• Phone call animal control to remove stray animals.
• Contact your veterinarian if your animal gets into a fight with a wild brute.

How does an animate being get rabies?

The rabies virus is found in the saliva and brain (neural tissue) of an infected animal.  The almost mutual style animals are exposed to rabies is from the bite of an animal.  Blood, urine, feces, and skunk spray do not contain rabies virus.

Rabies exposures:

• Bite from a rabid animal.
• Scratches, abrasions, open up wounds, or mucous membranes contaminated with saliva or encephalon tissue from a rabid beast.

Rabies not-exposures:

• Petting a rabid animal.
• Being in the same room as a rabid animate being (bats are an exception to this dominion).
• Coming in contact with blood, urine, feces, or skunk spray of a rabid beast.

What kind of animals have rabies?

Any mammal tin can go rabies, but the animals nearly likely to expose humans or other domestic animals to rabies are:

• Bats
• Cats
• Dogs
• Ferrets
• Horses
• Livestock
• Raccoons
• Skunks

Rabies is hard to control in wildlife reservoir species; thus, individual ownership of wild animals is not recommended (NASPHV 2016 Compendium, Office I, A, 8 Rabies in Wildlife).

Animals that are Non considered carriers of rabies include:

• Amphibians
• Birds
• Chipmunks*
• Gerbils*
• Gophers*
• Republic of guinea pigs*
• Hamsters*
• Hares/rabbits*
• Hedgehogs*
• Moles*
• Mice*
• Rats*
• Reptiles
• Shrews*
• Squirrels*
• Voles*

* Pocket-size rodents and rabbits are rarely infected with rabies; therefore, it is not recommended to test these species.  Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis for people exposed to these species is discouraged unless a unique situation has been identified.

What are the signs and symptoms of rabies in animals?

The rabies virus causes an astute encephalitis in all warm-blooded hosts, and the issue is well-nigh always fatal.

The showtime symptoms of rabies may exist nonspecific and include:

• Lethargy
• Fever
• Vomiting
• Anorexia

Signs can progress within days to:

• Cerebral dysfunction
• Cranial nerve dysfunction
• Ataxia
• Weakness
• Paralysis
• Seizures
• Difficulty animate
• Difficulty swallowing
• Excessive salivation
• Abnormal behavior
• Aggression
• Self-mutilation

At that place is no approved treatment for animals infected with rabies, and euthanasia (humane expiry) is recommended.  Prevention is central as rabies is rare in properly vaccinated animals.  Please refer to your veterinarian for rabies vaccine requirements.

What does rabies await like in an animal?

Y'all cannot tell if an animal has rabies just by looking at information technology.  Brain tissue from the animal must be tested at the Ohio Section of Health land laboratory (see Diagnosis below) for a diagnosis.

Below are examples of unlike behaviors that animals may exhibit when infected with rabies.

Pictured above are two dogs infected with paralytic rabies.  These dogs appear depressed and accept isolated themselves.  (Photo from CDC)

The dog above was also diagnosed with paralytic rabies.  The dog appears lethargic and listless.  (Photo from CDC)

The photo above shows a dog suspected of being rabid.  The canis familiaris had been exhibiting signs of restlessness and overall uncharacteristic aggressive beliefs.  (Photo from CDC)

How do you lot know for sure that an creature has rabies (diagnosis)?

There is no dues-mortem (before death) exam for animals.  The animal must exist euthanized (humane death) so that a sample of encephalon tissue can exist collected for the examination.  Euthanasia and sample drove should only be performed by trained individuals.

For more information on submitting an animal specimen for rabies testing, please contact your local health department for help.

How exercise you treat rabies in animals?

At that place is no canonical handling protocol for animals infected with rabies, and euthanasia (humane death) is recommended.  Prevention is key as rabies is rare in properly vaccinated animals.  Please refer to your veterinarian for rabies vaccine requirements.

How many animals are tested for rabies in Ohio?

Animate being rabies testing is washed by the Ohio Department of Wellness's Bureau of Public Health Laboratory.  Delight refer to the tabular array below for animal testing results for the past five years.

Ohio Rabies Testing, 2017-2021*
Species	2017		2018		2019		2020		2021		TOTAL
	+	Tested	+	Tested	+	Tested	+	Tested	+	Tested	+	Tested	%
Bat	thirteen	731	42	881	38	695	39	788	33	679	165	3,774	4.4%
Beaver	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	two	0%
Bobcat	0	0	0	1	0	two	0	0	0	0	0	3	0%
Cat	1	827	0	829	0	857	0	736	0	762	1	4,011	0.0%
Chipmunk	0	five	0	2	0	4	0	three	0	2	0	16	0%
Moo-cow	0	xiii	0	20	0	24	0	18	0	10	0	85	0%
Coyote	0	16	0	10	0	5	0	3	0	1	0	35	0%
Deer	0	4	0	iv	0	0	0	5	0	5	0	18	0%
Dog	0	1,135	0	ane,223	0	1,300	0	1,196	0	one,138	0	5,992	0%
Ferret	0	2	0	3	0	1	0	3	0	3	0	12	0%
Fox	0	23	1	10	0	11	0	7	0	11	1	62	1.6%
Goat	0	eight	0	14	0	20	0	nine	0	eleven	0	62	0%
Republic of guinea Grunter	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	one	0	0	0	1	0%
Hamster	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	0	0	0	four	0%
Horse/Ass/ Mule	0	19	0	23	0	28	0	25	0	19	0	114	0%
Kangaroo	0	0	0	ane	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	0%
Kudu Antelope	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0%
Llama/Alpaca	0	iv	0	ane	0	2	0	3	0	2	0	12	0%
Marmot/ Woodchuck/ Groundhog	0	23	0	14	0	24	0	13	0	twenty	0	94	0%
Mink	0	4	0	3	0	ane	0	3	0	three	0	14	0%
Mole/Shrew	0	iii	0	0	0	0	0	one	0	1	0	5	0%
Monkey	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0%
Mouse	0	three	0	3	0	ii	0	3	0	2	0	13	0%
Muskrat	0	6	0	i	0	1	0	2	0	3	0	thirteen	0%
Opossum	0	23	0	197	0	14	0	vi	0	8	0	248	0%
Hog/Sus scrofa	0	4	0	5	0	2	0	6	0	iii	0	20	0%
Rabbit	0	two	0	15	0	1	0	i	0	0	0	19	0%
Raccoon	6	ane,897	11	2,079	four	ane,092	i	1,349	5	one,201	27	7,618	0.iv%
Rat	0	3	0	three	0	7	0	3	0	5	0	21	0%
Sheep	0	4	0	9	0	5	0	iii	0	3	0	24	0%
Skunk	0	98	0	81	0	26	0	19	0	20	0	244	0%
Squirrel	0	16	0	29	0	13	0	18	0	8	0	84	0%
Tiger	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	i	0	1	0%
Weasel	0	two	0	one	0	0	0	one	0	i	0	five	0%
Wolf/Hybrid	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	one	0	0	0	ane	0%
Zebra	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	ane	0%
Other Wild	0	vii	0	0	0	five	0	0	0	0	0	12	0%
Full	twenty	4,884	54	five,463	42	4,146	40	4,229	38	3,923	194	22,645	0.nine%

* Includes USDA Wildlife Services Enhanced Rabies Surveillance data.

Please contact the Zoonotic Affliction Plan (ZDP) for fauna testing information for other years at Zoonoses@odh.ohio.gov.

Beast Bites

Each year since 1990, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has distributed a survey to all of Ohio'south local health departments to gather information pertaining to potential rabies exposure events (seize with teeth and non-bite exposures) reported in the land.

When a person or pet is bitten by an beast, regardless whether it's a pet or wild animal, the seize with teeth needs to exist reported to the local health jurisdiction where the bite occurred.  Bites from animals tin can spread rabies or other infections, and then prompt reporting allows public health to accept preventative measures and make recommendations.

Bite wounds should exist thoroughly done with lather and water equally presently equally possible.  With any animal seize with teeth, consult with your healthcare provider.

How practice you report animal bites?

Ohio law requires that a seize with teeth incident report should be made to the health commissioner in the local health jurisdiction where the bite occurred (Ohio Authoritative Code 3701-3-28) when a person is bitten by an animal, specifically mammals.  This study should be made within 24 hours of the seize with teeth.  The local health department will and so complete a rabies exposure risk assessment.  If the animal is a species at risk for rabies, they may quarantine it for a sure period of time or club the animal humanely killed for testing purposes.  In the event that an animal is positive or indeterminate for rabies, the local wellness department will propose additional medical care for those exposed.

When making a bite report, be prepared to provide the local health department with the following of import information:

• Description of the biting animate being
• Possessor of the fauna
• Person exposed
• Location of where the bite happened
• Rabies vaccination status of the animal (if known)
• How the bite occurred

How do you prevent brute bites?

• Avert contact with wild fauna and animals you do not know.
• Vaccinate your dogs, cats, and ferrets for rabies and go on them current.
• Telephone call your healthcare provider and your local wellness section if you are bitten.  If your pet fought with a wild beast, call your veterinarian and your local health department to report the incident.

How many animal bites are reported in Ohio?

Every year since 1990, the Ohio Department of Wellness has tracked potential rabies exposures events in the state by surveying all of Ohio's local wellness departments.  A man rabies exposure occurs when a human is bitten by a wild or domestic mammal (i.due east., seize with teeth exposure) or when there is saliva contact with broken skin or mucous membrane (i.east., non-bite exposure).  Non-bite exposures also occur when a bat is found in a room with a young child, with someone who is sleeping, or with someone with a sensory or mental impairment.  Non-man rabies exposures occur when a domestic mammal is exposed to a suspected rabid mammal or when a mammal is investigated for showing signs uniform with rabies.

More eighteen,000 seize with teeth exposures and 800 non-bite exposures were reported in Ohio in 2020, exposing more nineteen,000 humans.  A costly treatment known every bit rabies post-exposure prophylaxis is the only treatment available to prevent rabies infection and is advised to all individuals in which the beast was unavailable for observation or testing.

Ohio Reported Mammalian Bites and Exposure Events by Species, 2020*
Species	Exposure Events				Number of Humans Exposed
	Bite	Non-Bite	Other	Total
Bat	162	346	87	595	682
Cat	two,938	160	23	three,121	3,098
Dog	fifteen,358	289	91	xv,738	15,553
Ferret	8	0	0	viii	8
Livestock	21	5	1	27	28
Raccoon	164	40	47	251	207
Skunk	12	4	10	26	fifteen
Other Domestic**	81	5	2	88	87
Other Wild**	126	12	24	162	164
TOTAL	xviii,870	861	285	xx,016	nineteen,788

* Excluding information from the following jurisdictions: Auglaize County, Coshocton City (Coshocton County), Fayette County, Lawrence County, Licking Canton, Monroe County, and Warren City (Trumbull County).
** Reporting is optional for other domestic and other wildlife, examples include rodents, rabbits, exotic, and zoo animals.

Definitions of brute groups:
Livestock: examples include cattle, horses, swine, goats, sheep, pigs.
Other domestic: an animal (mammal) that does not autumn into the dog, true cat, ferret, or livestock category and is a species ordinarily confined or kept as a pet.
Other wild: an fauna (mammal) that does not fall into the raccoon, skunk, or bat category and is a species not normally bars or kept equally a pet.

Please contact the Zoonotic Disease Program (ZDP) for beast bite data for other years at Zoonoses@odh.ohio.gov.

Source: https://odh.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/odh/know-our-programs/zoonotic-disease-program/resources/rabies

Posted by: karlsonopli1944.blogspot.com

Share this post