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A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
Date: 20 Feb 2009
Source: Silver City Sun News [edited]
A 2nd bobcat in the region has tested positive for rabies, the New Mexico
Department of Health reported on Thursday [19 Feb 2009] afternoon. The
bobcat was discovered dead just east of Lake Roberts on 11 Feb 2009 and was
confirmed rabies-positive on Thursday [19 Feb 2009].
The bobcat was the 2nd rabid bobcat found within 5 days. The 1st bobcat
attacked an unvaccinated dog in Mimbres on 6 Feb 2009 and was confirmed
rabies-positive on 11 Feb 2009. The bobcat was shot by the landowner.
"It's unusual to see these kinds of cases," said Chris Minnick, New Mexico
Department of Health public information officer. According to state public
health veterinarian Dr Paul Ettestad, the bobcats were most likely infected
by rabid foxes.
New Mexico Game and Fish wildlife conservation officer John Armijo said he
and his staff have held discussions on the prevention of rabies in foxes
and bobcats but have not yet come to any conclusions. "We haven't come up
with anything affirmative yet," he said. Armijo said he wasn't alarmed by
the 2 rabid bobcats. "Obviously, rabies has been around for awhile," he
said. "It's a lot more prevalent right now" due to the large number of
animals. Two foxes in Grant County have tested positive for rabies in 2009.
Last year [2008], there were 28 cases of rabies in New Mexico, including 18
foxes and one dog in the southwestern area of New Mexico. There were 14
foxes and one dog with rabies in Grant County, 2 foxes in Catron County and
one fox in Sierra and Hidalgo counties, according to the Department of Health.
Rabid foxes have been a problem for decades in Arizona, but were 1st
detected in New Mexico in the Glenwood area of Catron County in 2007.
"Grant County residents need to be vigilant in their efforts to prevent
rabies from affecting their families and their pets," Ettestad said in a
prepared statement. "Rabies is a fatal disease that can be prevented with
vaccination but cannot be cured once it has been diagnosed." If anyone sees
a suspicious looking or dead animal, they are encouraged to call Armijo at
(575) 534-4023 or the Santa Fe central dispatch at (505) 827-9376.
[byline: Holly Wise]
communicated by:
ProMED-mail rapporteur Susan Baekeland
[Inaccurate statements from the above article have been edited out. Rabies
is a viral infection. There are different strains of the virus, but it is
always possible to transmit rabies from an infected animal to a
non-infected animal or person.
Generally with an animal, the brain or the whole head is sent to the state
laboratory for confirmation of rabies. The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia usually only does strain typing of the
rabies virus.
There are a number of strains of the virus: skunk strain, raccoon strain,
bat strain and others. No strain is confined to the species it is named
for. For example, the bobcat could have died of raccoon or bat strains of
rabies. It would be useful to know which strains are circulating in the area.
It seems the trend of rabies is increasing in New Mexico. Perhaps the state
should initiate a rabies campaign to remind owners to vaccinate their dogs,
cats, horses and other show animals, as all mammals are susceptible to the
rabies virus. The state may want to consider oral rabies vaccination for
its wildlife. - Mod.TG]
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