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Alabama health authorities have issued a warning after a state resident was bitten by a TBEN that tested positive for rabies.
The Prattville resident was bitten while the TBEN attacked their dog on July 1, according to a press release from the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH).
Local police were called after the attack and the TBEN was captured and taken for examination at a state laboratory.
Although rabies was confirmed, further tests will be conducted to determine which specific strain the TBEN is infected with, which is helpful for wildlife organizations trying to fight it.
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Rabies is commonly found in raccoons, and the raccoon strain is the most common threat to pets, according to the ADPH.
The person bitten by the TBEN has started treatment and will take their dog to a vet for a booster vaccination against rabies.
State veterinarian Dee W. Jones said in a press release on July 8, “This is another reminder to get your pets vaccinated against rabies no matter where you live. We have found rabies positive in both pets and wildlife very close to the most populous parts of Autauga County this year.”
Jones added: “The most important message is that vaccinating pets is the best way to protect public health.”
In Alabama, state law requires dogs, cats, and ferrets that are 12 weeks of age or older to have rabies vaccination.
Rabies is a viral disease usually transmitted through the bite or scratch of an infected animal. The virus affects animals and humans by infecting the central nervous system, leading to brain disease and death.
Any mammal can get rabies. The animals most affected in the US are bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes according to the CDC.
After exposure, it can take weeks to months for the disease to travel to the brain and start showing symptoms. At that point, it is almost always fatal. Initial symptoms can be flu-like before developing into anxiety, confusion, excitement, hallucinations, delirium, fear of water, insomnia and death according to the CDC.
Fortunately, rabies is preventable and the vaccine against it works very well. The vaccine is often given soon after people have already been exposed to rabies and is given in a series of doses, according to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).
It can also be given preventively prior to exposure.
In its July 8 press release, the ADPH said that in addition to vaccination, residents of the area should not let pets run loose; don’t leave uneaten pet food or leftovers near their home; do not illegally feed or keep animals as pets; do not go near wildlife or pets that behave strangely; and warn children not to go near stray or wild animals, regardless of their behavior.
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