More about Rabies

NATIONAL NEWS - In the past few weeks, rabies has been in the news with unfortunate fatalities in mainly KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

Rabies occurs all over South Africa, with the highest incidence of cases in KZN. The last confirmed case of rabies in this area was documented in 2010 in the Gouritzmond area in a cat.

Rabies is caused by virus that can affect any warm-blooded animal (including humans). Animals mainly affected in South Africa are dogs, foxes, meerkats and cats. This virus causes severe inflammation in the brain (encephalitis ) - hence the symptoms normally seen are: severe headache, fever, uncontrolled excitement, depression, anxiety when given water, uncontrolled aggression, excessive salivation, mania, disorientation, lethargy and eventually, coma and death. Children are far more susceptible to the disease than adults, if exposed.

Once infected, three stages can be identified in the animal.

Stage 1:
A one to three-day period when you mainly see a change in normal behaviour of that specific animal.

Stage 2:
Three to four-day period known as the furious phase. Here the animals are hypersensitive, react excessively when stimulated and this is when they are aggressive and will bite at almost anything - flies, wires, fencing, people, et cetera.

Stage 3:
This is the end phase, when they become paralysed and appear 'drunk' and sway. They normally drool, can't swallow and have a paralysed skew face. This phase ends in death.

How does the virus do this? After exposure (normally saliva) to an infected animal - via a lick on the hand (with a scratch or break in the skin) or a bite, the virus enters the muscle and eventually the nerve and then gradually travels all the way up the nerve, to the central nervous tissue (brain), where it then causes the symptoms of encephalitis. Once it has entered the nerves and nervous tissue, it is almost impossible to cure this disease and it will end in death.

What can I do to reduce the risk:
Vaccinate all dogs, cats, rabbits. From 12 weeks old, they receive two initial vaccinations one month apart and then a booster every one to three years.

Try and always keep your pets supervised and do not allow free roaming.

Do not handle wild animals or strays, especially if they are abnormally aggressive, seem 'drunk' or then extremely friendly. You do not know what the normal behaviour of this animal is.

Contact the SPCA immediately when you see such an animal.

Get your animals spayed / neutered. Sterilised animals roam and fight less and have a smaller chance of being contaminated.

What do I do if I have been bitten or possibly exposed?
Immediately wash the wound with soap and water for 10 to 15 minutes. If available, use a virus-killing agent like Iodine Povidone / Iodine Tincture / alcohol solution. Wash and rinse thoroughly, as this will dilute / remove the saliva from the wound and limit entry into the nerve tissue. Exposed mucus membranes like the eyes, nose and mouth should be flushed very well with water.

Contact you local SPCA and veterinarian, let them know that you have been in contact with a possible rabid animal. They will capture and collect the animal upon which it will be euthanased and the brain sent for analysis and testing.

Contact your local hospital or clinic. You should have the post exposure protocol administered immediately - even before the results of the test are back. This entails an injection of human rabies immunoglobulin and four doses of rabies vaccine given given over the next 14 days. This protocol is extremely effective and should be given no later than 10 days after possible infection / exposure.

What do I take home from this: Be careful, avoid directly handling of strays, have your animals vaccinated, if handling stray animals a lot, have yourself vaccinated and do not be complacent.

ARTICLE BY VETERINARIAN, DR SUSI KOK

- George Herald