 |
|
|
Confirmed Animal Rabies Cases in Central Texas - 2007
Your family pet doctor at East Lake Veterinary Clinic would like to share with you the most recent report on confirmed animal rabies cases in our area. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your pet's protection from rabies, please do not hesitate to call us. 254-690-4000.
Michael Joyner, D.V.M.
After-Hours DSHS Physician on Duty List
Animal control/ animal welfare personnel
Cooperative Extension Agents
Council of Government Directors
County Judges
Federal Parks & Lakes Directors
State Parks Directors
Infection Control Practitioners
Local Health Department Directors
Local Health Department Epi Contact Personnel
Local Health Department PIOs (public info officers)
Local Health Authorities
Medical Societies
Military Veterinarian Contacts (Ft. Hood)
DSHS Regional Staff
DSHS Immunizations - Rabies Biologicals Staff (Austin)
Rabies Biologicals Depot Colleagues
Trauma Service Area Chairpersons
Texas Animal Health Commission Area Directors
Texas Parks and Wildlife Commanders
Texas Wildlife Damage Management Directors
USDA Animal Care Inspectors
Veterinarians
Zoonosis Control Colleagues statewide
Zoos
There were 296 laboratory-confirmed animal rabies cases reported from the 30 county area of Health Service Region 7 (Central Texas) during 2007. This is more than were confirmed for Central Texas during 2005 (N = 199) and 2006 (N = 255).
Rabies was confirmed in 184 bats, 94 skunks, 4 dogs, 3 cats, 3 foxes, 3 horses, 3 raccoons, 1 opossum, and 1 coyote.
Counties with laboratory-confirmed rabies cases include: Bastrop (2), Bell (5), Brazos (36), Burleson (5), Burnet (27), Caldwell (1), Coryell (4), Fayette (4), Freestone (5), Grimes (1), Hamilton (1), Hays (2), Lampasas (1), Lee (5), Leon (8), Limestone (2), Madison (5), McLennan (7), Milam (2), Mills (1), Travis (136), Washington (7), and Williamson (28).
Bellow are links to the 2005 - 2007 comparison table and a bar graph illustrating the last three years of rabies cases in Central Texas, and a map of the 2007 cases in Central Texas.
* http://www.eastlakevet.org/Reg7_Cases2007.pdf
* http://www.eastlakevet.org/Table 3 Year Trend 2007 as of 12312007.pdf
* http://www.eastlakevet.org/Rabies Chart 3 Year Trend 2007 as of 12312007.pdf
Throughout Central Texas, the documented domestic animal and wildlife rabies cases, except for bats, died of the South Central skunk rabies strain.
Note:
1. Rabies in opossums is extremely rare, but Texas had a documented case this year. The rabid opossum was reported by a McLennan County resident after he observed its atypical behavior in his yard during daylight hours. Nationwide, opossums are considered a "low-risk" species in the rabies transmission cycle and also in Texas' rabies control rules. This rabid opossum serves to remind us that rabies infections are possible even in low-risk animal species.
2. The Washington County coyote died from the South Central skunk rabies strain.
3. The South Central skunk rabies strain remains notably active in Brazos, Burnet and Williamson counties. In these three counties, this virus strain spilled over into unvaccinated horses, cats and a dog. One Burnet County rabid cat had a history of one rabies vaccination four years prior to the onset of rabies.
4. Travis County's 2007 rabies case numbers are derived exclusively from bats. Rabies case numbers around Austin skyrocketed in the Fall, which resulted in a statewide high of 136 confirmed rabies cases for 2007 - the highest in any Texas county for that year. Harris County (Houston) reported the second highest numbers of rabid animals for a county during 2007 with 114 rabid bats.
5. The rabies data presented in this email is obtained through a passive reporting system. The data is based only on the results of animals submitted for rabies testing. There are many more animals (particularly wildlife) that die of rabies and are never tested for the disease. Rabies is endemic in Central Texas, and ALL counties have rabies risk.
6. To learn more about rabies cases statewide, visit the web site
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/rabies.
Please promote animal rabies vaccinations in your communities. Remind the public that their pets must be vaccinated by 4 months of age, followed by a vaccination within the next 12 months, and then every 1 or 3 years thereafter, according to veterinary recommendations and local rabies law. Animals may become exposed to rabies in urban, suburban, and rural settings. Pets may be exposed in their yard or inside a residence. We have investigated rabid bat incidents in which pets were exposed to bats inside multi-story apartment buildings. Horses and livestock may encounter rabid animals in their pens, stalls, and pastures.
Region 7 Zoonosis Control staff appreciate the dedicated and conscientious veterinarians, animal control officers, animal shelter workers, laboratory workers, and the public for their assistance in completing these rabies case investigations and in reducing the spread of rabies to people and animals.
Beverlee E. Nix, DVM, MPH
Department of State Health Services Region 7
Zoonosis Control Veterinarian
Program Website:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/region7/ZoonosisControlProgram.shtm
Zoonosis Control Unit (Austin) Website:
http://texasZoonosis.org
"The world is moved not only by the mighty shoves of the heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker." Helen Keller
|
|
|
 |
::
About Us
