FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 23, 2008
Residents advised to refrain from adopting wild animals
COLUMBIA – For the second time in a month, citizens are advised to beware of wild animals and refrain from "adopting" them because of the risk from rabies, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control said today.
"A pair of young foxes was found in the woods of North Carolina and taken to York County where they were cared for by several people," said Sue Ferguson of DHEC's Bureau of Environmental Health. "At present, 23 people have been evaluated after they were exposed to rabies by one of the foxes, which tested positive for the disease at DHEC's Bureau of Labs.
"As of Friday morning, several people in North and South Carolina are under the care of a physician and receiving preventive inoculations," Ferguson said. "Those numbers might change as the investigation continues to determine whether there are more who need to be evaluated for possible exposure risk."
It is important to remember that the disease can be transmitted without a bite.
According to Ferguson, the disease is spread through an infected animal's saliva. Many of the exposures occurred when handling and feeding the fox, as well as letting it lick their faces, as caretakers came into contact with the fox's saliva.
"We cannot stress enough the importance of resisting the urge to adopt wildlife," Ferguson said. "Despite the prevalent folklore, there is no way to tell from looking at an animal whether or not it has rabies, and baby animals can carry the disease without showing symptoms as well.
"Therefore, anyone bitten, scratched or otherwise exposed to the saliva of a rabid animal must undergo immediate measures to stop the virus from reaching the brain because once the rabies virus reaches the brain the disease is fatal to humans and animals.
"Hundreds of animals test positive in our state each year and rabies has been found in all South Carolina counties," Ferguson said. "About 400 South Carolinians must undergo preventive treatment for rabies every year costing the state thousands of dollars for each person who needs it. Most exposures come from being bitten or scratched by a rabid or suspected rabid animal.
"Wild animals carry the disease most often and can roam many miles daily, but domestic pets can contract rabies as well, so we remind residents that the best protection for people and their pets is to make sure pets are regularly vaccinated against the disease, as is required under state law," she said. "Make every effort to stay away from wild animals, but if you think you have been exposed to the rabies virus through a bite, scratch or the saliva of a possibly infected animal, immediately wash the affected area with plenty of soap and water, then be sure to get medical attention and report the incident to DHEC."
This is the second large-scale exposure to rabies in the state this month resulting from a wild animal adoption. This is the third confirmed rabid animal in York County in 2008. In 2007, 16 rabid animals were confirmed in the county and there were 162 confirmed cases of rabies in animals in South Carolina. So far this year, there have been 50 confirmed cases in animals in the state.
For more information about rabies, see DHEC's Web page at: http://www.scdhec.gov/rabies or contact DHEC’s York County Environmental Health office at (803) 909-7379. The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web page about rabies can be found at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies.
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For more information:
Clair Boatwright – (803) 898-4461
E-mail – boatwrc@dhec.sc.gov
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