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A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
[1] Vermont
Date: 14 Feb 2009
Source: Burlington Free Press [edited]
Rabies killed 2 cows at a Charlotte dairy farm this week, prompting
state officials to encourage vaccination of dairy herds.
The rare rabies incident presents no danger to the public milk
supply, assuming the milk is pasteurized, said Kelly Loftus, an
Agency of Agriculture spokeswoman. Pasteurized milk is heated to a
temperature that kills viruses and bacteria.
The infected cows died Monday and Tuesday [9-10 Feb 2009], Loftus
said. Tests confirmed the animals died of rabies. The rabies might
have been contracted from a raccoon that was killed by a farm dog
before the cows became ill, Loftus said. The dog had its rabies
vaccination and was unharmed, Loftus said.
The 2 cows were part of a 30-head herd at Judy and Robert Albu's
dairy farm in Charlotte, she said.
Joe Klopfenstein, owner of Vergennes Large Animal Associates in
Vergennes, said he was called to the Charlotte farm Sunday [8 Feb 2009].
"The 1st cow was down. She was stuck in her stall. She couldn't get
up. She was obviously not responsive. She was blind. She was not
responding to me. She had a low body temperature, dry stool,"
Klopfenstein said. "There were a lot of very unusual signs."
At first, Klopfenstein thought the cow had low-blood calcium. "But
the systems were not consistent," he said. The 2nd cow, he said, was
"hyper-aware. She looked like she was startled. Her eyes were wide
open, and her ears were up like something had frightened her,"
Klopfenstein said.
One cow was a Jersey and one was Holstein. He suspected both cows
would die. "The prognosis was poor," he said, and he encouraged
rabies tests be conducted because of the unusual neurological signs.
These aren't the 1st animals with rabies Klopfenstein has come across
during his 25-year career. He has evaluated similar cases in cows in
Monkton and Shoreham, a pig in Hinesburg, and a sheep in New Haven.
But those were exceptions. "Rabies is so rare," he said.
"It is unusual, but it does happen," Loftus said, noting Vermont had
one such case last year [2008]. Throughout the country, 150 cows
contracted rabies last year, she said.
State officials were initially concerned some of the people at the
Charlotte farm might have consumed raw milk that could have
transferred the rabies, which can be fatal. By Friday [13 Feb 2009]
afternoon, however, officials no longer believed farmers had drunk
the tainted milk, she said.
"Cows -- or any warm-blooded animal -- can pass rabies to people,
although there is no documented case of a human becoming infected
with rabies by drinking raw milk from a rabid cow. However, out of an
abundance of caution, the Health Department recommends that anyone
exposed to the virus should discuss possible treatment with their
health care provider," said Patsy Kelso, the state's acting
epidemiologist. "Because human rabies is fatal and the vaccine is
nearly 100 percent effective, we want to make sure that anyone who
may have consumed raw milk from the cow meet with their medical
provider to make an informed decision about whether or not to get vaccinated."
Since 1987, federal regulations have required all milk packaged for
human consumption be pasteurized before delivery into interstate commerce.
The Health Department and Agency of Agriculture are encouraging
anyone who had close contact with the cows or may have consumed raw
milk between 25 Jan and 8 Feb 2009 to discuss vaccination with their
health care provider.
The farm's remaining cows were vaccinated Wednesday [11 Feb 2009] and
are expected to remain healthy, Klopfenstein said.
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
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[2] Montana
Date: 13 Feb 2009
Source: Helena Independent Record [edited]
Officials with the Lewis and Clark County Health Department confirmed
a case of rabies in a "semi-feral" cat near East Valley Middle School
Thursday [12 Feb 2009].
The cat, which has since been euthanized, was brought to a local
veterinarian by the owner, said Laurel Riek, an environmental health
specialist with the health department. Health department officials
presume the test will come back positive for rabies, and confirmation
is expected on Friday [13 Feb 2009].
In the interest of protecting the public, Riek said, notices about
the incident were sent out prior to that confirmation. A note was
sent home with students attending East Helena Public Schools on
Wednesday [11 Feb 2009], and text messages circulated Thursday
morning, Superintendent Ron Whitmoyer said.
"We can be proactive in our approach," he said.
Other unvaccinated cats from the East Helena home have been captured,
and animal control is assessing their threat, said Mike Henderson,
the health department communicative-disease control division administrator.
Rabies is an infectious viral disease that affects the nervous system
of humans and other mammals. People primarily get rabies from the
bite of an animal with rabies through the saliva of the infected animal.
It's not uncommon for wild animals to be rabid, Henderson said, but a
domestic animal with rabies hasn't been reported in the county since 1994.
Officials say if a person is bit by an animal suspected of having
rabies, they should wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water,
seek medical attention, and report any animal bites to the health
department at 447-8355 or the Lewis and Clark's Sheriff's office.
Communicated by:
ProMED-Mail Rapporteur Susan Baekeland
[All animals that we come into contact with should be vaccinated
against rabies. Rabies is a virus that is fatal for animals and is
almost always fatal in humans. It is extremely cheap insurance to
vaccinate your horses and cattle, cats and dogs.
Cattle with rabies are often hyper-alert with an odd ear twitch and a
very odd bellow that more often than not makes the hair on one's neck
stand up. Farm animals with rabies often have unusual signs (animals
have signs not symptoms) that may mimic other common diseases.
In the case with the cats, this is an excellent opportunity to remind
all owners to vaccinate their animals. - Mod.TG]
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