Rabies Municipal Animal Control Officers September 2015 Randall Nelson, DVM, MPH Connecticut Department of Public Health Epidemiology and Emerging Infections Program Emergency after hours:

Public Health Veterinarian Designated Position – Department of Public Health – Senior Epidemiologist – Focus on human health – Kathy Kudish, DVM, MSPH State Veterinarian – Department of Agriculture – Statutory powers and responsibilities – Focus on animal health, agriculture – Mary Jane Lis, DVM, PhD NASPHV – 1953 ASTPHV, affiliate of ASTHO – 1970 independent organization – Compendia

Rabid Terrestrial Animals Connecticut, Wild Animals Raccoon5192(76%) Skunk1454(21%) Fox 105 Woodchuck 75 Deer 6 Coyote 6 Bobcat 5 Otter 1 Opossum Domestic Animals Cat140(72%) Cattle 23(12%) Dog 9 Horse 9 Sheep 5 Goat 4 Rabbit 2 Donkey 1 Ferret 1 194

Exposure Contact  transmission Infectious material + “portal of entry” Mammals  infection and transmission  susceptibility varies by species Infectious material  CNS tissue, saliva  not infectious = blood, feces, urine Bite & Non-bite  Bite = puncture or laceration  contact = open wound or mucous membrane  rarely an exposure = touching, scratch

Bat Exposures – first bats recorded in 1953 (CT 1959) – bats = 3% of human case exposures – bat variants = 42/45 (93%) human infections DPH Laboratory testing – approx. 4-6% rabid Risk assessment difficult – limited injury – inaccurate recall Guidelines – ACIP – reasonable probability of contact

Number of Animals Tested for Rabies DPH Laboratory – Connecticut, * 2010 = complete data not available – LIMS in development *

Rabies Request Form

Specimens Tested, 2014 Connecticut DPH Laboratory Total = 2303 – 95% (2197) = 7 species Bats – 36% (830); 3% (25) positive – 83% (686) submitted for potential human exposures – Details of circumstances not captured on submission form Skunks, raccoons, groundhogs, opossums – 22% (509); 28% (140 positive – 137 skunks & raccoons) – 72% submitted for potential domestic animal exposures not involving people Cats – 23% (519); 1% (5) positive – 24% submitted for touching or saliva contact – 72% of cats that that bit a person were not currently vaccinated Dogs – 15% (339); 0 positive – 71% of dogs that bit a person were currently vaccinated

Proposed Changes Rabies Testing, DPH Laboratory Discontinue testing of: wildlife for evaluation of potential cat and dog exposures currently vaccinated cats and dogs that bite people small rodents and wild rabbits submission of specimens directly by NWCOs routine weekend testing UConn: testing of specimens that do not meet DPH Laboratory criteria fee for service Submission Form: modify to collect information regarding bat exposures