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When an infected animal bites another or a human, the virus is passed along. The disease travels through nerve cells and destroys the central nervous system.
Rabies is fatal to humans once ‘ symptoms develop. But if treatment is given immediately after exposure, a person can avoid the disease. Treatment consists of a series of five injections over a four-week period.
On the average, five people die.of rabies in the United States each year.
The last human rabies case in Virginia was in 1953. In 1986, 167 state residents required treatment 1 after exposure to rabid animals.' In 1987, that number jumped to 306. ' Most human rabies exposures come ; from domesticated animals.
The new state law requires rabies inoculations for dogs and domesticated cats before the animals reach four months of age. The vaccines should be administered by a licensed veterinarian.
The law does not include “barnyard” cats or strays that are not con- ; sidered pets. The health department ; recommends these cats be inoculated or removed by animal control officials. State figures indicate in over 80 percent of the rabid cat inci- 1 dents, other unvaccinated dogs and cats had to be destroyed because of “ potential exposure to the disease. In' some cases, herds of livestock had to,k be confined for six months for observation.
There are no direct control methods for wildlife rabies. There are research projects that include distributing oral rabies vaccine in a bait to raccoons in the wild. Virginia i. is one of several states participating j in this effort.
Rabies remains a serious human health risk because there is no cure . in either humans or animals. The vaccination of dogs and cats provides - a protective barrier between rabid , wildlife and people. l:
For more information about rabies, contact the Rappahannock .{ County Health Department (675- n 3516).
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