Rabies

Municipal Animal Control OfficersSeptember 2015

Randall Nelson, DVM, MPHConnecticut Department of Public Health

Epidemiology and Emerging Infections Program

860-509-7994Emergency after hours: 860-509-8000

randall.nelson@ct.gov

www.ct.gov/dph/

Public Health Veterinarian

• Designated Position – Department of Public Health – Senior Epidemiologist– Focus on human health– Kathy Kudish, DVM, MSPH

• State Veterinarian– Department of Agriculture– Statutory powers and responsibilities– Focus on animal health, agriculture– Mary Jane Lis, DVM, PhD

• NASPHV– 1953 ASTPHV, affiliate of ASTHO– 1970 independent organization– Compendia

Rabid Terrestrial AnimalsConnecticut, 1991-2014

Wild AnimalsRaccoon 5192 (76%)Skunk 1454

(21%)Fox 105Woodchuck 75 Deer 6Coyote 6Bobcat 5Otter 1Opossum 1

6845

Domestic Animals Cat 140

(72%) Cattle 23

(12%) Dog 9 Horse 9 Sheep 5 Goat 4 Rabbit 2 Donkey 1 Ferret 1

194

Exposure

• Contact transmission• Infectious material + “portal of entry”• Mammals

infection and transmission susceptibility varies by species

• Infectious material CNS tissue, saliva not infectious = blood, feces, urine

• Bite & Non-bite Bite = puncture or laceration contact = open wound or mucous membrane rarely an exposure = touching, scratch

Bat Exposures

• 1953-1965– first bats recorded in 1953 (CT 1959)– bats = 3% of human case exposures

• 1990-2009– bat variants = 42/45 (93%) human infections

• DPH Laboratory testing – approx. 4-6% rabid• Risk assessment difficult– limited injury– inaccurate recall

• Guidelines – ACIP– reasonable probability of contact

Number of Animals Tested for Rabies DPH Laboratory – Connecticut, 2003-2014

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20140

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

2509

27742640 2716

2573 2602

2154 20901958 1954

2303

*

* 2010 = complete data not available – LIMS in development

*

Rabies Request Form

Specimens Tested, 2014Connecticut DPH Laboratory

• Total = 2303– 95% (2197) = 7 species

• Bats– 36% (830); 3% (25) positive– 83% (686) submitted for potential human exposures– Details of circumstances not captured on submission form

• Skunks, raccoons, groundhogs, opossums– 22% (509); 28% (140 positive – 137 skunks & raccoons)– 72% submitted for potential domestic animal exposures not involving people

• Cats– 23% (519); 1% (5) positive– 24% submitted for touching or saliva contact – 72% of cats that that bit a person were not currently vaccinated

• Dogs– 15% (339); 0 positive– 71% of dogs that bit a person were currently vaccinated

Proposed ChangesRabies Testing, DPH Laboratory

Discontinue testing of:• wildlife for evaluation of potential cat and dog exposures• currently vaccinated cats and dogs that bite people• small rodents and wild rabbits• submission of specimens directly by NWCOs• routine weekend testing

UConn:• testing of specimens that do not meet DPH Laboratory criteria

• fee for service

Submission Form:• modify to collect information regarding bat exposures