New, Fast-Evolving Rabies Virus Found -- And Spreading

National Geographic ^ | May 4, 2009 | Anne Minard

[Lady Jag]

Oh, good! I thought you might be interested. If you walk armed and aware you should be fine since a sick animal is easy to spot. Any rabies is bad but thank God it’s not rampant.

[LiberConservative]

I can't think of rabies without thinking of porn.

[Judith Anne]

Here in the MO Ozarks, it’s conventional wisdom that ANY raccoon out in the daytime is rabid.

Hub and I were driving on a way back dirt road and saw one. It did not move away for the car. We reported it when we got back, but didn’t have a weapon in the car, so....

[vetvetdoug]

Look at the map. Mississippi is bordered western by the Mississippi River, North West Tennessee by the Ohio River and Mississippi, East by the Tennessee River and then South East Mississippi by the Tombigbee River...This area with the natural borders has allowed the residents to decrease the incidence of Rabies by animal control and vaccination.

[GOPJ]

New-home construction, often in wooded areas, has actually increased habitat and food sources for bats, skunks, and foxes. Skunks live under houses, for example, and as diggers, make themselves at home on golf courses.

What? SUV's aren't part of the problem? I'm stunned. /s

[grey_whiskers]

You're telling me. I've been looking all OVER for the Sherlock Holmes movie "Hound of the Basketballs".

Cheers!

[null and void]

Try looking under the alternate title...

[katiekins1]

The cable networks were starting to foam at the mouth thinking about how they were going to keep their audience now that swine flu is fading..

Turn on C-Span! It is my under standing the VERMIN occupying our congress are spreading Rabies. Call the Verminator!

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

There was an outbreak of raccoon rabies in Central New York about 12 years ago. My husband was riding his bike on a back road one day when a raccoon came running out of the woods. He chased the bike like a dog chases a car, growling like a bear.

My husband, bless his heart, set a world speed record that day.

[grey_whiskers]

LOL!

[BIGLOOK]

What is unusual is that the strain appears to have mutated so that foxes and skunks are now able to pass the virus on to their kin—not just through biting and scratching but through simple socializing, as humans might spread a flu.

I don't find this unusual. About ten years ago, my brother in Upstate NY got cornered by a rabid skunk just outside his back porch. He ducked back inside, grabbed a handgun and went back outside to get rid of the varmint. The skunk went after him even while he was firing and finally after 4 or 5 shots (which none of us will ever let him live down) he got the skunk.

Neighbors had called the State Troopers when they heard the shots and when the Trooper showed up and learned the situation called the local Health Dept's Animal Disposal unit. They donned masks, aprons and gloves, bagged the skunk and told my brother to go to the doctor for rabies shots. He told them he didn't get bitten; they told him it didn't matter, he was in close proximity to the animal for several minutes and could be infected from dander, hairs or saliva during the scuffle.

Any comments on this, vetvetdoug?

[Judith Anne]

That makes a lot of sense.

[garjog]

NOOOO! We are all going to die!

[Tammy8]

They put rabies vaccine into food and place it where skunks and other wild critters gather.

[vetvetdoug]

That is unusual for a non contact/proximity contact to be considered an exposure and told to get the rabies vaccinations. Exposure is defined as contact with saliva or blood of an infected animal. Now if the skunk was blown to smithereens and blood, saliva and hair everywhere it may have been warranted. My first exposure to a rabid animal occurred when I took the head off a dog. I was wearing a mask and gloves but didn't wish to take a chance on being accidentally contaminated. One cannot be too careful or proactive when it comes to rabies.