Rabies
Municipal Animal Control Officers
September 2015
Randall Nelson, DVM, MPH
Connecticut Department of Public Health
Epidemiology and Emerging Infections Program
860-509-7994
Emergency after hours: 860-509-8000
randall.nelson@ct.gov
www.ct.gov/dph/
Public Health Veterinarian
• Designated Position
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Department of Public Health
Senior Epidemiologist
Focus on human health
Kathy Kudish, DVM, MSPH
• State Veterinarian
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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 Animals
Connecticut, 1991-2014
Wild Animals
Raccoon
5192 (76%)
Skunk
1454 (21%)
Fox
105
Woodchuck
75
Deer
6
Coyote
6
Bobcat
5
Otter
1
Opossum
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
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

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
3000
2500
2774
2509
2640
2716
2573
2602
2303
2154
2090
2000
1958
1954
1500
1000
500
*
0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
* 2010 = complete data not available – LIMS in development
Rabies Request Form
Specimens Tested, 2014
Connecticut 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 Changes
Rabies Testing, DPH Laboratory
Discontinue testing of:
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•
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•
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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