Rabies confirmed in several skunks in Jefferson County - Prevent animal-borne diseases

A skunk collected in Wheat Ridge near Sheridan and 35th Avenue was infected with rabies, according to lab results from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) in early March. Though this was the first wild animal in Jefferson County to test positive for rabies this year, several more have been confirmed.

In 2016, 88 animals in Colorado— both wild and domestic — were confirmed rabies positive by the CDPHE laboratory. Ten of those were from Jefferson County. The vast majority of these were wild animals with skunks and bats being the most common.

The public is strongly urged to vaccinate all of their domestic pets and valuable livestock against rabies and to be sure vaccinations are kept up-to-date. Now that rabies has been found in a terrestrial animal within the county, any domestic animal encounter with any wild animal will be treated like an exposure to a rabid animal. Domestic animals with one expired rabies or without any rabies vaccinations will be classified as high risk and be required to undergo a120-day quarantine.

“This rabies case is a good opportunity to remind people that having dogs and cats vaccinated against rabies is an easy and effective way to protect pets and humans from this deadly disease,” said Dave Volkel, Environmental Health Specialist with Jefferson County Public Health’s Zoonosis Program. “We also encourage the owners of horses, cattle and other livestock to consult with their veterinarians regarding rabies vaccination.”

Rabies is caused by a virus that affects the nervous system of humans and other mammals and is nearly always fatal. The virus is shed in the saliva of infected animals. People or animals can get rabies from the bite of a rabid animal or from a rabid animal’s saliva if it comes in contact with their eyes, nose, mouth or open wounds. Immediate medical treatment is required after exposure to an infected animal. Skunks, bats, foxes, raccoons and other wildlife should not be handled or fed to prevent exposure to this virus.


In addition to rabies vaccinations for pets and livestock, here are additional precautions to prevent possible exposure to rabies:
Resources:
CDPHE web site: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/dc/zoonosis/hanta/index.html

• Avoid contact with any wild animals, especially any that act unusually. A healthy wild animal will generally avoid human contact.
• Teach children to stay away from all wild animals, stray domestic pets or any dead animals and tell an adult if they are scratched or bitten.
• Wildlife suffering from rabies will often be out during the day, act aggressively and violently approach people or pets. Rabid wildlife might also stumble or have trouble walking.
• Do not let pets roam freely, since this can increase the chance that they could be exposed without your knowledge.
• Contact your veterinarian if your dog or cat is bitten or scratched by a wild animal.
• If a person has been bitten or scratched by a wild mammal, they should wash the area thoroughly with soap and water, seek immediate medical attention and notify their local public health agency. Prompt medical treatment is key to preventing rabies after a possible exposure.
• Do not feed wild animals, since this reduces their natural fear of humans
• Do not leave pet food or livestock feed outside or feed more than your outdoor pet will finish in one feeding.
• Wildlife Rabies and You (brochure)
• For more information or to report a suspicious animal, please contact your local animal control agency or Jefferson County Animal Control: 303-271-5070
• For more information about rabies contact Environmental Health Services Animal Borne Disease Program at 303-232-6301 or visit http://jeffco.us/public-health/healthy-environments/animal-borne-disease/
• Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Rabies Data: https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/rabies-data
  

Prevent Hantavirus

Spring is also an important time to be aware of Hantavirus, an animal-borne disease that can cause severe and sometimes fatal respiratory disease in humans. When opening up cabins, sheds, buildings and barns and when doing spring cleaning chores, Coloradans can be exposed to dust contaminated with the virus in a mouse-infested area.

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Colorado averages about four cases of HPS a year.

JCPH also advises that residents rodent proof their homes by plugging holes and entry points where mice can get inside; eliminating food sources for rodents; and removing abandoned vehicles and wood, brush and junk piles where rodents hide.  

For more information on Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome:

Jefferson County Public Health: http://www.jeffco.us/health/health_T111_R50.htm.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/hps/index.html

Prevent Insect-Borne Disease While Traveling

Traveling for Spring Break? Be sure to protect yourself from insects and insect-borne disease, like Zika virus.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, areas in the southern U.S., Mexico, South and Central America all have reported active Zika virus transmission. Zika can be spread through mosquito bites, from a pregnant woman to her fetus, sexually or through a blood transfusion.

Take the following steps recommended by the CDC to protect yourself from Zika when traveling! 

• “Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants
• Treat clothing and gear with insect repellent
• Use insect repellent and always follow label instructions
• When used properly, most insect repellent is safe on pregnant and breastfeeding women. 
• Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months old.
• Do not use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol on children younger than 3. 
• Stay in places with air conditioning and window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside.
• Take steps to control mosquitoes inside and outside your home.
• Mosquito netting can be used to cover babies younger than 2 months old in carriers, strollers, or cribs.
• Sleep under a mosquito bed net if air conditioned or screened rooms are not available or if sleeping outdoors.
• Prevent sexual transmission of Zika by using condoms or not having sex.”

For more information on animal- and insect-borne diseases, visit http://jeffco.us/public-health/healthy-environments/animal-borne-disease/.

Rabies Confirmed in a Skunk found in Arvada

Vaccinate your pets and avoid contact with wild animals

Jefferson County Public Health has confirmed that a skunk collected in Arvada near Sheridan and 70th Avenue was infected with rabies. The skunk came in contact with a family pet, a dog, that was fortunately up-to-date with rabies vaccination. There was no known human exposure to the skunk. The skunk was euthanized and submitted for testing today at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) laboratory. JCPH received positive rabies test results back from the CDPHE lab this afternoon. While rabies has been found in skunks in Denver and neighboring counties, this is the first terrestrial wild animal that has tested positive for rabies in Jefferson County. The public is strongly urged to vaccinate all of their domestic pets and valuable livestock against rabies and to be sure vaccinations are kept up-to-date. Now that rabies has been found in a terrestrial animal within the county, any domestic animal encounter with any wild animal will be treated like an exposure to a rabid animal. Domestic animals with one expired rabies or without any rabies vaccinations will be classified as high risk and be required to undergo a 180-day quarantine.

“This rabies case is a good opportunity to remind people that having dogs and cats vaccinated against rabies is an easy and effective way to protect pets and humans from this deadly disease,” said Dave Volkel, environmental health specialist with Jefferson County Public Health’s Zoonosis Program. “We also encourage the owners of horses, cattle and other livestock to consult with their veterinarians regarding rabies vaccination.”

Rabies is caused by a virus that affects the nervous system of humans and other mammals, and is nearly always fatal. The virus is shed in the saliva of infected animals. People or animals can get rabies from the bite of a rabid animal or from a rabid animal’s saliva if it comes in contact with their eyes, nose, mouth or open wounds. Immediate medical treatment is required after exposure to an infected animal. Skunks, bats, foxes, raccoons and other wildlife should not be handled or fed to prevent exposure to this virus.

In addition to rabies vaccinations for pets and livestock, there are additional precautions to prevent possible exposure to rabies: 

• Avoid contact with any wild animals, especially any that act unusually. A healthy wild animal will generally avoid human contact.
• Teach children to stay away from all wild animals, stray domestic pets, or any dead animals and tell an adult if they are scratched or bitten 
• Wildlife suffering from rabies will often be out during the day, act aggressively and violently approach people or pets. Rabid wildlife might also stumble or have trouble walking 
• Do not let pets roam freely, since this can increase the chance that they could be exposed without your knowledge 
• Contact your veterinarian if your dog or cat is bitten or scratched by a wild animal 
• If a person has been bitten or scratched by a wild mammal, they should wash the area thoroughly with soap and water, seek immediate medical attention and also notify their local public health agency. Prompt medical treatment is the key to preventing rabies after a possible exposure
• Do not feed wild animals, since this reduces their natural fear of humans
• Do not leave pet food or livestock feed outside or feed more than your outdoor pet will finish in one feeding 

Resources: 

• Wildlife Rabies and You (brochure)
  
• For more information or to report a suspicious animal, please contact your local animal control agency or Jefferson County Animal Control: 303-271-5070
  
• For more information about rabies contact Environmental Health Services Animal Borne Disease Program at 303-232-6301 or visit http://jeffco.us/public-health/healty-environments/animal-borne-disease/
  
• Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Rabies Data: https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/rabies-data

Attention Pregnant Women - ZIKA Update

Mosquitoes are the deadliest animals in the world because of the diseases they spread. Zika virus disease (Zika) spreads to people mainly through the bite of two types of mosquitoes. The newest edition of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vital Signs focuses on the threat of Zika to pregnant women and their fetuses and the steps that can be taken by them, their partners and communities to thwart this public health risk. In past outbreaks, most people with Zika have not gotten sick, so people may not even know they've been infected.

Based on current knowledge, the greatest risk for complications from Zika is to a pregnant woman's fetus. According to the Vital Signs report, pregnant women can take the following actions: 

• Avoid travel to any area with Zika. 

• Take preventive steps such as wearing insect repellent.

• Talk to her doctor first if she must travel to an area with Zika, and get tested for Zika between 2 and 12 weeks after returning. 

• Use latex condoms, the right way, every time or choose not to have any type of sex with a partner who has been in an area with Zika.

For more information on Zika and pregnancy, visit the CDC website.

For more information on animal-borne diseases, please contact our Zoonosis Program at
303-232-6301 or dvolkel@jeffco.us.

Protect against Rabies

Monday, September 28, 2013 is World Rabies Day.  Rabies is a serious disease that affects the nervous system and can be fatal if left untreated.  By keeping your pets vaccinated against rabies, you are not only protecting them, but you are protecting yourself and your family too.  Show your pets how much you love them by honoring September 28^th and getting them vaccinated. The Foothills Animal Shelter offers rabies vaccinations for your dog or cat for only $15.  Vaccines can be given during an appointment, or the shelter offers walk-in hours on Tuesdays and Fridays from 3 to 4pm. Please visit their website or call 303-278-7575 for more information.  

The JCPH animal-borne disease program works to monitor and respond to disease threats in the county, as well as monitor any positive rabies tests from animals such as bats. It is important for everyone to take precautions against rabies exposure. While only a small percentage of bats are infected with rabies,  it is important to avoid close contact with them.  The public should contact their local animal control if they find a dead bat or if they find a bat behaving strangely. Animal control will determine whether the bat needs to be collected and tested.  Animal Control will collect specimens for rabies testing if there is a possibility that the bat had contact with people or their pets--particularly within the home or other enclosed buildings.

 Jefferson County Health officials advise that even what may seem as insignificant contact with a bat may still be sufficient to transmit the rabies virus. Rabies is spread most often through contact with bat saliva, as a result of bites or from exposure to cuts on the skin. In some instances, people may be unaware that they were bitten and may not see puncture wounds. 

Steps to Prevent Rabies:

• Residents are urged not to handle wild animals and to beware of any bats or skunks seen during day light hours. Bats that are active during the day (seen in places where bats are not usually seen, i.e. indoors, on the lawn) or any bat that is unable to fly should be considered possibly rabid and reported to the appropriate animal control agency.
• Pet owners should be sure their pets have current immunizations for rabies and keep their pets from roaming free. Vaccination is essential to protecting pets and preventing further spread of the disease.
• Wash any wound from an animal thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention immediately.
• Have all dead, sick, or captured bats/skunks tested for rabies if exposure to people or pets is suspected.
• Keep wild animals from entering homes, churches, schools, and other similar areas where they might contact people and pets. Seal up holes that might allow bats into your living quarters. Any openings larger than a quarter-inch by a half-inch should be caulked. Use window screens, chimney caps, and draft-guards beneath doors to attics, fill electrical and plumbing holes with stainless steel wool or caulking, and ensure that all doors to the outside close tightly.

Resources:

·         For more information or to report a suspicious animal, please contact your local Animal Control agency or Jefferson County Animal Control at 303-271-5070

·         For more information on rabies and prevention tips please visit our Animal-Borne Disease Rabies page, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Rabies page,  or call the JCPH Animal-Borne Disease Program at at 303-271-5700.