COLUMBUS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS
GUIDELINES FOR RABIES TESTING POLICY
Policy Title:
Guidelines for Rabies Testing
Program Area:
Animal Control, Communicable Disease
Policy Identifier:
(optional)
Effective Date:
Approval Date:
Revision
Date(s):
Approved by:
Kim Smith RN, BSN, MSHCA, Health Director
Approved by:
Hilda Memory RN, BS, MSHA, Director of Nursing
12/1/2014
Purpose:
To provide guidelines for submitting specimens and obtaining results from rabies testing
conducted by the SLPH.
Definitions:
1. Bite exposure – any penetration of the skin by the teeth of a rabid or potentially
rabid animal.
2. Non-bite exposure – introduction of saliva or brain/nervous tissue from a rabid or
potentially animal into an open wound or onto a mucous membrane.
3. Bat exposure- any direct contact between a human and a bat is considered an
exposure unless the person was awake the entire time of potential exposure and
can be reasonably certain a bite, scratch, or mucous membrane exposure did not
occur. Finding a bat in the same room as a person who might be unaware that a
bite or direct contact occurred is considered an exposure.
4. High risk animal- animals considered high risk for rabies transmission include
raccoons, skunks, foxes, bats, bobcats, coyotes, groundhogs (woodchucks),
beavers, and other carnivores. These animals are considered rabies vector species
with a high risk of transmission, or potentially rabid.
5. Low-risk animal- animals considered to be low risk are small rodents (squirrels,
mice, rats, moles, opossums, etc) and rabbits. They usually don’t require testing
and aren’t considered a risk unless assessed otherwise by a public health
veterinarian.
Definitions:
Animals assessed to be a risk for rabies transmission that have potentially exposed a
human or unvaccinated domestic animal (pet, livestock, or horse) are submitted by the
Columbus County Department of Public Health to the NC State Laboratory for Public
Health (SLPH) for rabies testing. Testing is reserved for situations where the outcome will
influence patient management decisions
Reformatted 10/7/2011
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COLUMBUS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS
GUIDELINES FOR RABIES TESTING POLICY
Responsibilities:
Health Director, Director of Nursing in the absence of the Health Director,
Communicable Disease Nurse, and Animal Control.
Procedures:
I. Specimen processing and transport
1. The Columbus County Animal Control Department ensures that all animals
sent for rabies testing are destroyed and properly prepared for transport from
Columbus County Health Department to the State Laboratory of Public Health.
2. Properly prepared specimens are transported to SLPH by courier via daily
weekday pick-up at 4:30 pm.
3. Large animals (cows, horses, deer, etc) are submitted for testing via the Rollins
Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab (part of the Department of Agriculture) in
Raleigh. The specimen is processed at this lab and forwarded to the SLPH for
testing.
II. Specimen testing
1. Routine testing at the SLPH is available Monday through Friday (7:30 am4:00pm).
2. Weekend/holiday testing is done only in emergency situations and only with
the approval of the person on call for the Rabies Program of the NC
Communicable Disease Branch.
III. Reporting results
1. Results for any animal positive for rabies or any unsatisfactory test result is
telephoned automatically by the SLPH staff to the submitting facility.
2. The Communicable Disease Nurse or her designee will notify the person who
was exposed of the positive result and provide information regarding the need
for post exposure prophylaxis, if applicable.
3. All test results can be accessed by approved users with accounts to SLPH.
Laws and Rules:
NC GS § 130A-199 Rabid animals to be destroyed; heads to be sent to SLPH
Reference(s):
1. NC Rabies Control Manual, Testing of Animals, February 2013
2. NC State Laboratory of Public Health, Virology/Serology-Rabies Virus,
http://slph.ncpublichealth.com/virology-serology/rabies.asp
Reformatted 10/7/2011
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