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Brienne German (301) 734-7253
Andrea McNally (202) 690-4178
USDA DISTRIBUTES ORAL RABIES VACCINE IN ALABAMA
RIVERDALE, Md., March 14, 2007--Wildlife Services, a program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, will distribute oral rabies vaccine baits across portions of central Alabama beginning on, or about March 20, to prevent the spread of raccoon rabies.
Baits containing oral rabies vaccine will be distributed over rural areas using low-flying twin-engine aircraft while hand baiting will occur in populated regions using ground-based vehicles. The projected one-week program will target raccoons and result in the distribution of approximately 430,000 baits covering roughly 2,000 square miles in the Birmingham area. Since 2003, USDA has been cooperating with the Alabama Departments of Public Health and Agriculture and Industries, in addition to the Jefferson County Department of Health to vaccinate raccoons and prevent the westward movement of rabies into unaffected areas. This project is part of a larger effort to establish a rabies-free barrier extending north along the Appalachian Mountains.
The vaccine is sealed inside plastic sachets that are sprinkled with fishmeal crumbs or packaged in one-inch square fishmeal cubes. 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.
Raccoon rabies is caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system in mammals. Symptoms usually include unusual, aggressive or calm behavior, an inability to eat or drink, balance problems, circling, seizures, coma and finally death. Human exposures can be successfully treated if medical attention 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).
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