Animal Rabies Prevention and Control, 2008

[MeSheLL]

State Public Health Veterinarians Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control, 2008


The National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) is
pleased to provide the 2008 revision of the Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention
and Control for your use and for distribution to practicing veterinarians, wildlife
rehabilitators, animal welfare organizations, and officials in animal control, public health,
wildlife management, and agriculture in your state. This document is reviewed annually,
revised as necessary, and the most current version replaces all previous versions. This
cover memo summarizes the notable changes that were made to the document this year
and provides updates on other rabies issues.
COMPENDIUM CHANGES
The introduction was expanded to highlight that the United States was recently declared
free of canine variant rabies.
Part I A.10. Rabies Research was added to highlight the need for many types of studies
for the development of science-based recommendations.
Part I B.5.(a). was expanded to clarify that isolation in the context of this document,
refers to confinement of an animal in a manner which precludes human or animal contact. In
addition, some of the factors were added that are used to make case-by-case evaluations
regarding animals that exposed to rabies and overdue for rabies vaccination.
Part II C. was expanded to clarify that an adverse event includes rabies in a previously
vaccinated animal.
Part III: Rabies Vaccines Licensed and Marketed in the U.S., 2008 was reordered for
consistency but no changes were made to list of approved rabies vaccines.
Additional references have been added to provide scientific support for
information provided in the document.
RABIES UPDATES
As of December 31, one fatal human case of rabies virus infection was reported in
2007. An adult Minnesota resident was infected with rabies but no rabies antigen was
recovered for variant characterization. A bat bite was reported approximately one month
prior to clinical disease onset.
The second World Rabies Day will be on September 28, 2008. More information
is available at: http://www.worldrabiesday.org/index_en.php.
The 19th annual international conference on Rabies in the Americas (RITA) will
be held from September 28 – October 3, 2008 at the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention in Atlanta, GA. More information is available at:
http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/events/rita.html.
CDC’s Rabies Laboratory is attempting to collect specimens to evaluate the potential for
rabies transmission via milk from lactating animals. When rabies is suspected in a lactating
animal, milk and mammary tissue should be collected and stored. If the animal tests positive, the
milk and mammary tissue should be shipped on dry ice to:
Dr. Charles E. Rupprecht
DASH, Building 18, Room SSB218
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road, NE
Atlanta, GA 30333
[phone]
Although an uncommon occurrence, rodents (particularly groundhogs), beavers, and
lagomorphs are occasionally diagnosed with the raccoon variant of rabies virus in the Eastern
U.S. In order to better evaluate the potential for these animals to transmit rabies, the Rabies
Section of CDC would like to receive the entire head of any rodent or lagomorph testing positive
for rabies. Rabies diagnostic laboratories should store the heads of highly suspect rodents and
lagomorphs until testing is completed, and send the specimens to CDC at the above address for
further analysis if results are positive.

Rabies is a fatal viral zoonosis and a serious public health problem (1). The disease is an acute progressive encephalitis caused by a
lyssavirus. Although the United States has been declared free of canine rabies virus variant transmission, multiple viral variants are
maintained in wild mammal populations and there is always a risk of reintroduction of canine rabies (2). All mammals are believed to
be susceptible to the disease and for purposes of this document, use of the term “animal” refers to mammals.
The recommendations in this compendium serve as a basis for animal rabies prevention and control programs throughout the U. S. and
facilitate standardization of procedures among jurisdictions, thereby contributing to an effective national rabies control program. This
document is reviewed annually, revised as necessary, and the most current version replaces all previous versions. These
recommendations do not supersede state and local laws or requirements. Principles of rabies prevention and control are detailed in
Part I; Part II contains recommendations for parenteral vaccination procedures; all animal rabies vaccines licensed by the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and marketed in the United States are listed in Part III.
1. RABIES EXPOSURE: Rabies is transmitted only when the virus is introduced into bite wounds, open cuts in skin, or onto
mucous membranes from saliva or other potentially infectious material such as neural tissue (3). Questions about possible
exposures should be directed promptly to state or local public health authorities.
2. PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATION: Essential components of rabies prevention and control include ongoing public education,
responsible pet ownership, routine veterinary care, and professional continuing education. The majority of animal and human
exposures to rabies can be prevented by raising awareness about: rabies transmission routes, avoiding contact with wildlife, and
appropriate veterinary care. Prompt recognition and reporting of possible exposures to medical professionals and local public
health authorities is critical.
3. HUMAN RABIES PREVENTION: Rabies in humans can be prevented either by eliminating exposures to rabid animals or
by providing exposed persons with prompt local treatment of wounds combined with the administration of human rabies
immune globulin and vaccine. The rationale for recommending preexposure and postexposure rabies prophylaxis and details of
their administration can be found in the current recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
(ACIP) (3). These recommendations, along with information concerning the current local and regional epidemiology of animal
rabies and the availability of human rabies biologics, are available from state health departments.
4. DOMESTIC ANIMALS: Local governments should initiate and maintain effective programs to ensure vaccination of all
dogs, cats, and ferrets and to remove strays and unwanted animals. Such procedures in the United States have reduced
laboratory-confirmed cases of rabies in dogs from 6,949 in 1947 to 71 in 2006 (2). Because more rabies cases are reported
annually involving cats (247 in 2006) than dogs, vaccination of cats should be required (2). Animal shelters and animal control
authorities should establish policies to ensure that adopted animals are vaccinated against rabies. The recommended vaccination
procedures and the licensed animal vaccines are specified in Parts II and III of the compendium respectively.
5. RABIES IN VACCINATED ANIMALS: Rabies is rare in vaccinated animals (4). If such an event is suspected, it should be
reported to state public health officials, the vaccine manufacturer, and USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,
Center for Veterinary Biologics (Internet: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/vet_biologics/vb_adverse_ev...;
telephone: [phone]; or e-mail: [e-mail]). The laboratory diagnosis should be confirmed and the virus variant
characterized by a rabies reference laboratory. A thorough epidemiologic investigation should be conducted.
B. PREVENTION AND CONTROL METHODS IN DOMESTIC AND CONFINED ANIMALS
1. PREEXPOSURE VACCINATION AND MANAGEMENT: Parenteral animal rabies vaccines should be administered only
by or under the direct supervision of a veterinarian. Rabies vaccinations may also be administered under the supervision of a
veterinarian to animals held in animal control shelters prior to release. Any veterinarian signing a rabies certificate must ensure
that the person administering vaccine is identified on the certificate and is appropriately trained in vaccine storage, handling,administration, and in the management of adverse events. This practice assures that a qualified and responsible person can be
held accountable for properly vaccinating the animal.
Within 28 days after initial vaccination, a peak rabies virus antibody titer is reached and the animal can be considered
immunized (12). An animal is currently vaccinated and is considered immunized if the initial vaccination was administered at
least 28 days previously or booster vaccinations have been administered in accordance with this compendium.
Regardless of the age of the animal at initial vaccination, a booster vaccination should be administered 1 year later (see Parts II
and III for vaccines and procedures). No laboratory or epidemiologic data exist to support the annual or biennial administration
of 3- or 4-year vaccines following the initial series. Because a rapid anamnestic response is expected, an animal is considered
currently vaccinated immediately after a booster vaccination (13).
(a) DOGS, CATS, AND FERRETS
All dogs, cats, and ferrets should be vaccinated against rabies and revaccinated in accordance with Part III of this
compendium. If a previously vaccinated animal is overdue for a booster, it should be revaccinated. Immediately following
the booster, the animal is considered currently vaccinated and should be placed on a schedule depending on the labeled
duration of the vaccine used.
RABIES CERTIFICATE: All agencies and veterinarians should use NASPHV Form 51 (revised 2007), Rabies Vaccination
Certificate, or an equivalent. This form can be obtained from vaccine manufacturers, NASPHV
(http://www.nasphv.org/Documents/RabiesVacCert.pdf), or CDC (http://www.cdc.gov/rabies). The form must be completed in full
and signed by the administering or supervising veterinarian. Computer-generated forms containing the same information are also
acceptable.