Rabies Update for Animal Control, Wildlife Officials & Veterinarians in Colorado

Confirmed Skunk Rabies in Douglas County

 

On March 16, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Laboratory confirmed rabies infection in a skunk from Parker in Douglas County, near the Arapahoe County boundary. The skunk was submitted by Douglas County Animal Services. The skunk originated from private property less than 2 km east of E-470.This marks the arrival of skunk rabies along the fringe of the metro Denver area.

 

Variant typing on this skunk is pending at CDC, but the results are unlikely to be other than the south central U.S. skunk variant. Tri County Health Department is planning to issue a press release for local newspapers in the Parker area. Elbert County has also reported skunk rabies activity in the Elizabeth area, not far from Parker.

 

Local health departments are hosting regional rabies training sessions for first responders only (animal control, veterinarians, DOW staff, wildlife trappers and rehabilitators, and local public health and environmental health officials) in areas remote to Denver. These sessions are partially designed for the first responders in a community to meet one another to enhance a coordinated local response. The following dates and locations have been arranged. Please call the local contact to RSVP and for location details.

 

March 29, 2010, 6:00 - 7:30 PM, Boulder, Larimer, Weld Counties (Weld County Complex near I-25 & Hwy 119); click here for a map.
Contact: Sara Evans, Weld County public health, 970.304.6415, ext. 2201

April 19, 2010, 6:00 - 7:30 PM, Colorado Springs, El Paso County
Marigny Klaber, El Paso County public health, 719.578.3224

May 12, 2010, 6:00 - 7:30 PM, Location: Pueblo City-County Health Department, 101 W 9th St. 3rd Floor conference room.
Contact: Jenna Ward, Pueblo County public health, 719.583.4331

May 17, 2010, 5:30 - 7:00 PM, Akron, CO
Contact: Julie McCaleb, Northeast Colorado Health Department, 970.345.6562, ext. 23

May 27, 2010. 5:30 PM, Durango, CO
Contact: Bari Wagner, San Juan Basin Health Department, 970.247.5702

TBA, La Junta, CO, southeastern CO
Contact: Mike Miller, Otero/Crowley County public health, 719.383.2340

 

Because of the number of first responders in the Denver metro areas, such sessions have not been arranged. However, for first responders in the immediate Denver area, you are encouraged to attend one or both of the following conferences:

 

1. Colorado Annual Zoonoses Conference in Aurora on April 8th. For additional information, please click here to visit the CDPHE Conference webpage. However, only a brief update on the distribution of rabies will be provided at this conference.

2. For animal control and animal shelter workers: Colorado Association of Animal Control Officers Annual Conference April 26-30. On April 28th, I will be speaking from 3:00 to 5:00 PM on rabies and other zoonotic diseases. Click here for information on the CAACO 2010 Spring Conference.

Please visit the CDPHE rabies webpage for updated policies, stats, maps, submission guidelines, and more.

All first responders to rabies (animal control, veterinarians, DOW staff, wildlife trappers and rehabilitators) should review the CDPHE policies on domestic animals exposed to suspect rabid animals, as the policies were updated in the Fall of 2009 to reflect the increase risk in Colorado.

 

 

Prowers County

On January 6, 2010, Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) reported positive rabies DFA results on a domestic cat from Lamar in Prowers County.

On January 4th, property owners in Lamar noted a semi-feral cat on their property that was dragging it's hind quarters, the persons attempted to assist the cat, and one person was bitten and scratched in the face by the cat.  The property owners took the cat to a local veterinarian, who described a facial abscess at least 7 days old, neurologic symptoms, and hypersalivation. The cat died suddenly at the veterinary clinic on January 5th and was shipped to CDPHE for testing.  Local public health officials investigated to rule out additional exposures and are alerting the community.  The local veterinary clinic fortunately took sufficient precautions to avoid exposure.

While no contact was observed between the rabid feral cat and other domestic animals, the owned, currently vaccinated cats and dogs are receiving booster vaccinations and the remaining feral cats on the property are being trapped. Property owners recently noticed increased skunk and fox activity on and around their property.

CDC reported today:  "Antigenic typing with monoclonal antibodies to the nucleoprotein of rabies virus demonstrated a pattern consistent with a rabies virus variant found in skunks in the South Central U.S.A."

One skunk and one fox were confirmed with rabies infection in Prowers County in 2009.  In 2009, CDC reported variant typing results for the rabid fox from Prowers County consistent with the south central U.S. skunk variant.

So far this year, a skunk from north central El Paso County has also tested positive for rabies.

Please click here for a summary table of rabies data for 2009. Variant typing results for other non rabies reservoir species in Colorado for 2009 are expected shortly from CDC.

The last rabid domestic cat in Colorado was in Cheyenne County in 2008. Click here for a historical table of domestic animal and human rabies cases.

Submitted by:  Elisabeth Lawaczeck, DVM, State Public Health Veterinarian

Communicable Disease Epidemiology Program Disease Control and Environmental Epidemiology Division Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

303-692-2628;  elisabeth.lawaczeck@state.co.us

 

GENERAL INFORMATION:  RABIES

Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal.

Click here for more general information from the CDPHE site.
The CO Veterinary Medical Assn also has information on their web site.

Here is some additional support information:

Rabies Prevention and Control Policy (PDF document)

Managment of Domestic Animals Exposed to Rabies
Issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Update November 3, 2009

Rabies Algorithm for Pets Exposed to Wildlife 

Latest summary of rabies by county and species for thus far in 2009