NEW YORK, Jan 24 (Reuters Health) -- In an attempt to stem the spread of a
raccoon-associated type of rabies from the eastern US to other parts of the
country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending
that people who live in affected areas vaccinate their pets.
A variant of the rabies virus first appeared during an outbreak in
raccoons on the Virginia/West Virginia border in 1977. Since then, this type of
rabies has spread to raccoons in Maine, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina,
Ohio, Vermont and West Virginia. An infected raccoon was found in Canada in 1999
and the virus has "progressed at approximately 18 to 24 miles each year,"
according to the CDC report.
Recently, infected raccoons migrated into the Ohio River Valley. Once the
virus becomes established in the Valley there are few geographical barriers,
such as mountains or rivers, to prevent its spread throughout the midwestern US,
according to the January 21st issue of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report.
While there have so far been no reported cases of bites to humans, the
spread of the virus means that there are more infected raccoons that could
infect pets, Candace McCall, with the CDC's National Center for Infectious
Diseases, told Reuters Health.
"This is not a panic situation but the main message is that animals have
more contact with other animals so people should get their pets vaccinated,"
McCall said.
Unlike healthy raccoons, rabid animals tend to roam in open areas in broad
daylight and may attack domestic animals or pets.
The costs associated with rabies are substantial. McCall estimates that
rabies prevention and treatment for people and animals in the US costs about
$450 million annually.
According to the report, raccoons account for the largest percentage of
animal rabies cases reported to CDC over the past decade. In 1998, 44% of all
animal rabies cases in the US occurred among raccoons.
