Rabies Watch Archive
Air Animal's 'Rabies Watch Archive'.. where 'pet moving made easy' creates a positive pet moving experience
Air Animal Pet Movers maintains a worldwide watch on the incidence of Rabies. The information is gathered from a variety of recognizable and authoritative resources... the purpose of which is to keep pet owners informed and allow for Rabies immunizations to be administered in the recommended timelines and guidelines, facilitating the pets easy and worry-free relocation.
RABIES - Hamburg GERMANY - Moroccan tourist evidences Rabies
Date: Thu 19 Apr 2007 
From: Christian Drosten
Tourists to Morocco ...especially those taking their pets with them need to be aware of the continuing risk of exposure to canine rabies in that country .. the following story serves as example ...
A 55-year-old man was referred to the University Medical Centre of Hamburg, Germany, on Wednesday, 18 Apr 2007. He presented with fever, nausea, paresthesias of the left hand, headache and difficulty swallowing. His pet dog had been involved in a fight with a stray dog in Morocco
6 weeks previously, and he had been bitten in his left hand when separating the fighting dogs.
Medical consultation was sought right after the injury, but no vaccination was initiated. His 15-year-old dog was euthanized by a veterinarian 4 weeks later, due to inability to stand up.
Rabies was 1st suspected in the beginning of the week by a local hospital, which the patient consulted for fever and paresthesia. On admission in Hamburg , RT-PCR for rabies virus nucleocapsid RNA in 2 different saliva samples and one corneal swab was positive. The amplicon sequence showed 99 percent nucleic acid identity with a genotype 1 rabies virus from Morocco . All other phylogenetic neighbors stemmed from Morocco or Algeria .
The patient had received active and passive post exposure vaccination in the local hospital on Tuesday [17 Apr 2007]. Deep sedation with ketamine and midazolam was initiated on Thursday [19 Apr 2007]. Amantadine but no other antiviral drugs have been given.
Decision-making on further treatment is ongoing.
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Japan reports 2 cases of human Rabies in less than one week.
Mainichi Daily News … edited from the 22 Nov 2006 issue.
Internet ref : http://mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20061122p2a00m0na011000c.html
… from a dog bite on his hand in August 2006, the Philippine national visiting  Yokohama, Japan in October 2006 has now manifested the fatal symptoms of human Rabies, falling ill on 15 November 2006.
… Rabies is endemic in the Philippines, with 284 human fatalities reported in calendar year 2004, along with global deaths from human Rabies estimated at 55,000 cases in 2004.
… A public health perspective: although not a requirement for entry into any country, vaccination of humans against the rabies virus may be considered as a worthwhile precaution; especially if one is planning a visit where exposure to feral dogs and/or unvaccinated animals may take place. Out of doors activities – such as hiking, bicycling, trekking, camping, etc may be considered as reason for humans receiving adequate Rabies immunization; especially in light of the global Rabies situation.
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Rabies kills 200 people monthly in Beijing 
Source : Bloomberg.com http://www.bloomberg.com
It's hard to believe the numbers of people who die in China yearly from Rabies inflicted by dog bites... to date 1817 deaths have been caused by the Rabies virus.
Oversized dogs, such as German Shepherds, and other large breeds are being singled out for elimination; as reported previously... as Beijing, China prepares for the 2008 Olympics, spending USD$34 billion dollars in preparation of the games.
Authorities are requiring pet owners to register their dogs, as well as requiring photo-id's of the pet on a credit card sized dog license, or face fines of USD$635.00... as well as confiscation and euthanasia of the dog.
Asia accounts for more than 80 per cent of global rabies, with China leading in the number of human deaths from rabies. Estimates of dogs as pets in China are 150 million in number; the large numbers are related to the one-child rule per family in China... along with the elderly seeking companionship. Chinese pet owners are reluctant to have their pets vaccinated for Rabies, as well as not seeking veterinary care for their pets.
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RABIES WATCH - Indiana reports first human Rabies case since 1959
Source : http://www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5552282&nav=0Ra
Source@ WISH-TV online, Tue 17 Oct 2006 [edited] 
For the 1st time since 1959, there's a human case of a rabies in Indiana. A
10-year-old in Marshall County was bitten by a bat in June 2006 and just
recently started showing symptoms that led to encephalitis. The child is
now in the hospital and doctors hope they've caught this case in time. It is not known at this time if the child received Rabies immunizations after exposure to the bat bite, typically a procedure that is followed, especially after a wound is inflicted by a bat; the common carrier of the rabies virus.
"Historically it's a near fatal disease and so it's always touch and go,
but given treatment today we're hopeful that this individual is going to
survive this case," said Dr. Judith Monroe, Indiana State Department of Health.
The health department says if you've been bitten by a bat or other wild
animal you should go to your doctor immediately and report it to your local health department.
The CDC has set up a phone line to answer questions about rabies, that
number is 1-800-CDC-INFO.
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Rabies cases in both dogs and humans increase by 37% in China
Source: Yahoo.com.tw, 10 Oct 2006 [translated by Mod.RY, edited]
http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/061010/5/54cy.html
China's Ministry of Health reports today that there are a total of 393
cases of rabies in September. The figure is up by 37 per cent compared with
the same period of 2005. There have been 318 human deaths.
Experts say that the current rabies epidemic in China is mainly due to an
apparent increase of people who raise dogs, a severe deficiency of
knowledge by the public about rabies, and the failure to seek treatment by
those bitten by an infected dog.
According to the report, China is one of the worst rabies-endemic countries
in the world, second only to India. Beijing alone has recorded more than 70
000 clinical cases of rabies during the first half of this year [2006].
The official statistics show from January to September 2006 a cumulative
figure of 2254 confirmed cases of rabies, up by 29.7 per cent compared with
the same period in 2005.
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RABIES WATCH
[2] China - rabies vaccinations in Beijing – for both humans and dogs
Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2006
Source: Xinhuanet.com, 6 Oct 2006 [edited]
<http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-10/06/content_5172111.htm>
Enjoying time at home and playing with a pet has its price -- people bitten
by dogs and needing rabies vaccines in Beijing rose sharply during the
National Day holidays. The Beijing University People's Hospital received
more than 200 people for rabies vaccinations on Wednesday and Thursday.
Queues were seen outside the vaccination room. From Sunday to Wednesday,
the China-Japan Friendship Hospital inoculated 500 people, including 100
bitten by dogs.
The daily injection rate was 20 per cent higher than normal, said a doctor
surnamed Su with the China-Japan Friendship Hospital. Most people were
adults who played with their dogs at home and some were bitten in their
sleep, according to the Beijing Morning Post.
An old woman interviewed by the paper said she was bitten during a dog
fight in a lift. Some people were bitten by unchained dogs being taken for
a walk by neighbors. In Wangjing and Tiantong residential compounds in
northern Beijing, about 30 percent of residents did not chain their dogs
outside their home.
Rabies, often spread by dog bites, attacks the nervous system and is fatal
in humans if not treated before the onset of symptoms. The virus can infect
people through bites and scratches no matter how serious the injury. People
bitten or injured must wash the wound with water containing 20 per cent
soap for 20 minutes and go to hospital immediately, said doctor Zhang
Haicheng with the People's Hospital.
Instant vaccination is needed not only for dog bites, but also for bites
from cats, bats, and other wild animals, despite previous vaccinations,
said another doctor, Wang Chuanlin. Five consecutive injections were needed
in every case, warned doctors.
China ranks second in the world after India in terms of the number of
rabies cases, according to the Ministry of Health. Every year, more than 50
000 people around the world die of the disease, with most of them in
developing countries. The incidence of rabies has been rising throughout
the country this year, official figures have shown.
The number of vaccinations in Beijing rose from 8000 in January to 15 000
in June, with a total of 69 332 in the first half year, according to the
municipal center for disease control and prevention. The health ministry
reported 1874 rabies cases, including 1735 deaths, in the country during
the first 8 months of 2006, up 29 per cent over the same period of 2005.
The ministry's website shows that 2660 people died from rabies in 2004,
while in 1996 there were only 159 reported fatalities. Rabies was the
second most common deadly infectious disease after tuberculosis in 2005,
accounting for 19 per cent of the total deaths. China has some 150 million
pet dogs, according to estimates.
Experts say pet owners who abandon their dogs are mainly responsible for
the increase in the disease as stray dogs that have not been vaccinated are
most likely to contract rabies. To curb rising rabies cases, local
governments have tried various measures. In Mouding County of south west
China's Yunnan Province, the government slaughtered 50 000 dogs after 3
deaths were reported, sparking a nationwide debate.
The Beijing municipal government requires rabies cases or suspected rabies
cases to be immediately reported to the health department. Dog owners in
Beijing will face harsh penalties in the future if they raise their pets in
violation of regulations. Their dogs may be confiscated and they may be
fined up to 5000 yuan (625 US dollars) if they keep a dog without a permit,
fail to carry out annual health checks on their pets, keep big dogs in
downtown areas, have more than one dog at one home, or take them to places
where dogs are not permitted.
The health ministry will also strengthen prevention of rabies in rural
areas, where dogs are not widely vaccinated and medical treatment for
people is inadequate, said vice health minister Jiang Zuojun.
~~~~~~~~
Source: Kupang Post, 23 Sept 2006
http://www.indomedia.com/poskup/2006/09/23edisi23/floresa.htm
Indonesia continues to experience outbreaks of Rabies … currently reporting 19 citizens in 3 villages in the Palue, Subdistrict, Sikka, to have been bitten by one or more dogs in the aforementioned region. At least two dogs were confirmed to have been infected with the Rabies virus; and may have been responsible for the wounds sustained the local citizens.
Rabies vaccination teams have been dispatched to the area to vaccinate as many dogs as possible, especially during the fertility season, where young dogs can be vaccinated, thereby reducing the incidence of Rabies. Previous methods of controlling Rabies were in the indiscriminate killing of dogs as a means of Rabies control .. a totally ineffective procedure, a 1998 outbreak of Rabies was not controlled by random killings.
In 2005, 44 people were confirmed to have died of Rabies, after sustaining dog bites. The region also reported approximately 44 deaths attributed to Rabies in the 1998 outbreak.
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Rabies Watch: Shanghai and Beijing – a review
Sunday ... 27 August 2006
source: http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/060813/1/20ux.html
... with 100,000 stray dogs and 500,000 feral cats wandering the streets of Beijing, no one is surprised that there is an outbreak of Rabies in one of China's largest cities; with little to no effective measures put into place by the Municipal Government at this writing.
... Shandong province saw 16 human deaths from Rabies this year….. along with the destruction of more than 500,000 dogs by the local authorities. Unfavorable global attention was directed to the local authorities.
... Yunan province has seen 3 human deaths from Rabies...along with the destruction of a reported 50,000 dogs.
… with 3 human deaths reported in Shanghai so far this year (the districts were as follows: Jinshan, Nanhui, and Minsing), the Shanghai Health Bureau has ordered the immediate destruction of any unlicensed dog without proof of ownership.
… a public awareness program has been established, with the Shanghai Public Security Unit charged with the enforcement and compulsory licensing of all dogs and cats. Dog Licenses may be obtained from the Public Security Office … or pet owners will be fined … with fines reported to range from 200 Yuan to 1000 Yuan … equates to USD$25.00 to $125.00 … the criteria for the variance in fines was not indicated.
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Thursday … 24 August 2006
Source : China Daily
http://www.chinadaily.com/cndy/2006-08/24/content_672583.htm
… with 70,000 people having been bitten by dogs in Beijing in 2006, it is not surprising to read about the five (5) human deaths in Beijing this year, to date.
Of the five deaths reported; only one case originated from Beijing proper; the four remaining cases resulted from patients having been transferred to Beijing from outlying areas.
Note: there seems to be NO on going Rabies vaccination program; nor are leash laws in effect; and if so, apparently not enforced.
… Rabies continues to be an ongoing problem in China … with reports of only 3% of the dog population receiving Rabies vaccine. Between poor compliance on the part of dog owners; and lack of vaccination and surveillance programs, Rabies crossing over from the wildlife population to the dog population to the human population is very likely to continue August 23, 2006 … Rabid Fox attacks Mom and son … Russia 
(source : Regions.ru News Agency 31 July 2006 ) http://www.regions.ru/news/health/1995237
The Republic of Baskiria .. now known as Bashkortostan in the South Urals was the scene in July 2006 of a rabid fox entering a residence and attacking a three year old male; also bitten was his mother coming to his aid. The Trans-Siberian and South Siberian railroads cross this republic of 4 million people.
Also; the Mechetlinskly district was the scene of a man and woman having been attacked by another rabid fox in the courtyard of their residence.
All victims have received the anti-rabies treatment and are reported out of danger.
Wild rabid animals continue to be reported in the Repubic with fewer cases this year than in 2005.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sunday, August 6, 2006
1,000 Girls Advise To Get Shots For Rabies 
Rick Weiss The Washington Post
BATS MAY HAVE INFECTED CAMPERS
"Really, at the end of the day, it's the parents' decision of what level of risk they are willing to bear". David Goodfriend . Loudoun County Health Officer
WASHINGTON - Loudoun County , VA. , officials have notified the parents of nearly 1,000 girls in the Washington area that the youngsters might have been exposed to the deadly rabies virus at a local Girl Scout camp and should consider getting a monthlong series of protective vaccinations --- the largest proactive rabies outreach effort ever in the United States , according to federal authorities. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Source: The Guardian, 4 Aug 2006 [edited]
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,,1837454,00.html?gusrc=ticker-103704>
A Chinese city has ordered the destruction of all dogs within a 3 mile
radius of a rabies outbreak -- the 2nd major cull in less than a week.
Officials in Jining, the provincial capital of Shandong province, refused
to reveal how many of the city's 500 000 dogs would be killed in the latest
cull, which was ordered after the deaths of 16 local people this year.
Animal rights groups have condemned the extermination campaigns, which they
say are cruel, disproportionate, and evidence of the failure of the
country's vaccination and monitoring campaigns.
The outrage was sparked this week, when it emerged that police and public
health officials in Mouding -- a county in Yunnan province -- clubbed,
electrocuted, and buried alive 50 000 dogs to control the disease.
Regardless of vaccinations, no animal was spared apart from police and army
dogs.
An official from Jining's centre for disease control and surveillance said:
"I cannot reveal any information because this is an epidemic situation and
I need authorisation to talk." But the state media said all dogs within a 3
mile radius of every rabies case would be slaughtered. A total of 16
villages inside the municipality have been affected by the disease.
Mad dog disease, as rabies is called in China, [has killed] 2651 people in
2004. The number of cases has risen steadily in recent years because of a
rise in pet ownership and an irresponsibly low -- 3 per cent -- vaccination
rate.
But the World Health Organisation [WHO] says the recent countermeasures
have been excessive. "Rabies is a big problem for China and it is one that
is probably under-reported," said Roy Wadia of the UN agency's Beijing
office. "But we don't encourage this sort of dramatic culling. There would
be no need for it if adequate vaccination and surveillance measures were in
place."
Animal rights groups have complained that the slaughter is indiscriminate.
"This inhumane act has damaged China's international reputation," said He
Yong, of the International Federation for Animal Welfare. "Simply killing
dogs is no answer to rabies."
In the absence of a strong health system and effective monitoring and
reporting of diseases, China has frequently had to resort to mass culls.
The SARS outbreak in 2003 prompted the destruction of countless civet cats.
The bird flu epidemic has led to the slaughter of millions of ducks and
chickens.
[byline: Jonathan Watts]
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 Friday, July 21, 2006
Canine Rabies – Human Exposure – Uzbekistan – Surxondaryo province --- a stray dog bit 12 people in the aforementioned province. Wildlife Rabies is an ongoing issue in both Uzbekistan and its neighboring provinces of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Authorities are seeking information from the local population to identify any other incidences of dog bites.
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Monday, July 17, 2006
Cyclist bitten by Rabid bobcat along a popular cycling trail in Penn's Woods, Willamsburg, PA recently .... 17 July 2006 ...
reference : http://www.abc27.com/news/stories/0706/345223.html
... with the increase in wildlife Rabies recently, one should be wary and extremely cautious when approaching wild animals who appear to be friendly ..and wanting contact with humans. The cyclist was seated on a bench when the bobcat approached him .. and subsequently bit him on the arm; the cyclist elected anti-Rabies treatment when the bocat was determined to be rabid; after being shot by an off duty police officer.
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