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A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
Date: 19 Feb 2009
Source: DNR on line
Calves test positive for rabies near Linville
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A total of 3 calves from a farm near Linville recently tested positive for
rabies, according to the farm's owner. Although no specific animal has been
recognized as the carrier, a raccoon was found on the farm that tested
positive for the disease. The family that lives on the farm has been
treated with a series of rabies shots as a preventive measure. Health
officials described the outbreak as an isolated incident.
"We thought we were treating pneumonia," the farm owner, who spoke on
condition of anonymity, said of the 1st case. "But the calf wasn't getting
better, so we called the vet."
The calf's remains were sent to the Virginia animal testing lab, where it
tested positive for the disease. A diagnosis of rabies can be confirmed
postmortem only through a pathology test on the animal's brain. The
following week, a set of twin calves from the farm also developed signs
consistent with rabies, and tests confirmed rabies in them as well. Health
officials said the public is not in any danger from the limited outbreak.
Rabies on farms rare
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According to the Virginia Department of Health's website, 18 cases of
rabies in cattle have been reported in Rockingham and Augusta counties in
the last decade.
Allen Gutshall, district environmental health program manager for the
Virginia Department of Health, said some people vaccinate horses or prize
bulls, but vaccinating an entire herd of livestock is not practical or
cost-effective. If a rabid animal is found among livestock, Gutshall
recommended calling a veterinarian before taking further action.
Sometimes something as simple as separating and observing the animals
exposed to the rabies carrier will determine whether the animals are sick
or if further action needs to be taken.
Getting rabies information
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For a complete list of animals diagnosed with rabies in Virginia in the
past decade, log on to
[byline: Regina Cyzick Harlow]
communicated by:
ProMED-Mail rapporteur Susan Baekeland
[The article above implies that clinical signs of rabies in cattle are easy
to recognize. In fact, the early signs in cattle can mimic a number of
other more mundane disease conditions. Just as this article states, they
thought they were dealing with pneumonia. Most producers will not call a
veterinarian for something they are comfortable treating. And this article
clearly implies that several to all the members of the family were exposed
to the calf or the calves before finding it was rabies.
Even if the raccoon had been found, and believed to have rabies, it is
still likely the 1st calf would have been treated by the producer for
pneumonia as rabies is not always easily recognized in cattle.
The idea expressed in the article above, that vaccinating a whole herd for
rabies may not be practical or cost effective, should be considered in
comparison with the value of a human life. Rabies vaccinations are very
cheap insurance because rabies can occur anywhere, does not announce itself
and can mimic other diseases.
There are states in the USA who believe they are free of rabies, but one
case, which could be human, will prove to them that rabies is no respecter
of state lines or regulatory rules. - Mod.TG
A map of Virginia is available at
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