Painful, Deadly, Preventable – Rabies Cases on the Rise

The number of confirmed cases of animal rabies in Charles County last year is two and a half times greater than it was two years ago.  In 2005, 12 rabies cases were confirmed in Charles County.  That number doubled to 24 in 2006; and in 2007 the Charles County Health Department noted 29 animals who tested positive for the disease.

In comparison, the Calvert County Health Department reported 2 cases and St. Mary’s Health Department reported 9 confirmed cases of rabies for 2007.

Although rabies deaths have been low for decades, the rise in rabies cases throughout Charles County puts more people at risk for exposure to the deadly and painful virus.  The Food and Drug Administration website posted an article by Audrey T. Hingley noting the increase of rabies on a national scale despite years of decline due to vaccination programs and regulations.

Human deaths from the disease are still rare in the United States. Chief of Rabies and Vector-borne Diseases division of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Kim Mitchell told The Bay Net, “There has not been a human case of rabies in Maryland since 1976.”

However, According to the World Health Organization, the disease runs roughshod over much of the globe causing approximately 55,000 human deaths per year, primarily among children from Asia and Africa.  Those cases most commonly occur from dog bites.

If bitten by an animal it is up to the victim to report the bite and request the animal be quarantined by the Tri-County Animal Shelter.  It is also up to the victim to seek medical attention for the bite which may include a tetanus shot and antibiotics to avoid non-rabies related bite infections. 

Once a person is bitten or exposure is suspected and the animal is quarantined by the shelter, the Charles County Department of Health oversees the quarantine.  The Health Department recommends that postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) begin as soon as possible after exposure to those types of wildlife.  Signs of infection among wild animals are much more difficult to recognize.