Brienne German (301) 734-7253
Jim Rogers (202) 690-4755
USDA DISTRIBUTES ORAL RABIES VACCINE IN THREE STATES
RIVERDALE, Md., Aug. 30, 2006--Wildlife Services, a program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, will distribute oral rabies vaccine baits in cooperation with state agriculture, health and natural resource agencies beginning on or about Sept. 5, to prevent the spread of raccoon rabies in portions of Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Baits containing oral rabies vaccine will be distributed over rural areas using low-flying twin-engine aircraft and hand baiting will occur in populated regions using ground-based vehicles. The projected two-week program will target raccoons and result in the distribution of more than 2 million baits covering roughly 14,000 total square miles in three states.
In July 2004, a raccoon in Lake County, Ohio, tested positive for rabies about 7 miles west of the existing vaccination barrier. An intense, oral rabies vaccination campaign is ongoing in the 20-mile radius surrounding the positive case. Enhanced surveillance and testing in this area have confirmed that WS’ cooperative efforts are working to keep the raccoon variant of rabies from spreading further westward. In 2006, only 5 positive raccoon variant cases have been identified compared with 46 positive cases in 2004.
Since 1997, USDA has been cooperating with local, state and federal agencies to establish a rabies-free barrier in the eastern United States where the raccoon strain of rabies threatens wildlife populations and pets, as well as public health and safety. The following states have been part of a cooperative effort coordinated by WS: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.
Baits are coated with a fishmeal attractant and may be packaged in one-inch square cubes or two-inch plastic sachets. Humans and pets cannot get rabies from coming into contact with the baits but are asked to leave the baits undisturbed should they encounter them. This vaccine has been shown to be safe in more than 60 different species of animals, including domestic dogs and cats. Dogs that consume large numbers of baits may experience an upset stomach, but there are no long-term health risks.
Most sightings of rabid raccoons occur during the spring and summer when people are more likely to come into contact with wildlife. Raccoon rabies is caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system in mammals. Symptoms include unusual, aggressive or calm and “friendly” behavior, an inability to eat or drink, balance problems, circling, seizures, coma and finally death. Human exposures can be successfully treated, if treatment is sought immediately following a bite.
For additional information concerning the raccoon oral rabies vaccine program, please visit http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/rabies/index.html or contact USDA’s WS toll free at 1–866–4–USDA–WS (1–866–487–3297).
#
Note to Reporters: USDA news releases, program announcements and media advisories are available on the Internet. Go to the APHIS news release page at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom. Also, anyone with an e-mail address can sign up to receive APHIS press releases automatically. Send an e-mail message to lyris@mdrdlyriss10.aphis.usda.gov and leave the subject blank. In the message, type subscribe press_releases.