(US) USDA distributes oral rabies vaccine in four states

[Guest guest]

There is now a problem in the U.S. with rabies carried by racoons.

In the past, this has been a problem only in Florida, southern Georgia, and

southeastern Alabama , but hunters took raccoons from the south up to the

north and released them so they could hunt them.

 

Although rabies vaccinations have been available for domestic animals for

many years, until recently no such preventive measure existed to control

rabies in wildlife.

 

It costs the U.S. over $300 million a year to deal with rabies.

--\

------

From the United States Department of Agriculture site:

 

USDA DISTRIBUTES ORAL RABIES VACCINE IN FOUR STATES

 

RIVERDALE, Md., Aug. 22, 2006--Wildlife Services, a program within the U.S.

Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, will

distribute oral rabies vaccine baits in cooperation with the Ontario

Ministry of Natural Resources and Cornell Universitybeginning on or about

Aug. 22, to prevent the spread of raccoon rabies in portions of Maine, New

Hampshire, New York and Vermont.

 

Baits containing oral rabies vaccine will be distributed over rural areas

using low-flying twin-engine aircraft and hand baiting will occur in

populated regions using ground vehicles. The projected two-week aerial

portion of the program will target raccoons and result in the distribution

of more than 1.2 million baits covering roughly 9,675total square miles in

four states.

 

The vaccination zone has been established to prevent the northward movement

of the raccoon variant of rabies into Canada. The zone is reinforced

utilizing natural barriers such as the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence

River. Canada has a similar program in place vaccinating raccoons and foxes.

 

Since 1997, USDA has been cooperating with local, state and federal agencies

and Canada to establish a rabies-free barrier in the eastern United States

where the raccoon strain of rabies threatens wildlife populations and pets,

as well as public health and safety. The following states have been part of

a cooperative effort coordinated by WS: Alabama , Florida , Georgia , Maine

, Massachusetts , Maryland , New Hampshire , New York , North Carolina ,

Ohio , Pennsylvania , Tennessee , Vermont , Virginia and West Virginia .

 

Baits are made of fishmeal polymer and are packaged in one-inch square cubes

surrounding a sachet containing the vaccine or two-inch plastic sachets

coated with fishmeal crumbs. Humans and pets cannot get rabies from coming

into contact with the baits. Should you encounter a bait, please leave it

undisturbed. This vaccine has been shown to be safe in more than 60

different species of animals, including domestic dogs and cats. Dogs that

consume large numbers of baits may experience an upset stomach, but there

are no long-term health risks.

 

Most sightings of rabid raccoons occur during the spring and summer when

people are more likely to come into contact with wildlife. Raccoon rabies is

caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system in mammals.

Symptoms include unusual, aggressive or calm and “friendly” behavior, an

inability to eat or drink, balance problems, circling, seizures, coma and

finally death. Human exposures can be successfully treated if treatment is

sought immediately following a bite.

 

For additional information concerning the raccoon oral rabies vaccine

program, please visit http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/rabies/index.html

 

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/content/2006/08/rabine06.shtml

[Guest guest]

will it not pose threat to pets and humans as it is a live

vaccine.Some drug manufacturers has tried to sell it as for stray dogs/pets .can

any one may highlight its uses and abuses.

Dr Sandeep K.Jain

Cate <cateanna wrote:

There is now a problem in the U.S. with rabies carried by racoons.

In the past, this has been a problem only in Florida, southern Georgia, and

southeastern Alabama , but hunters took raccoons from the south up to the

north and released them so they could hunt them.

 

Although rabies vaccinations have been available for domestic animals for

many years, until recently no such preventive measure existed to control

rabies in wildlife.

 

It costs the U.S. over $300 million a year to deal with rabies.

--\

------

From the United States Department of Agriculture site:

 

USDA DISTRIBUTES ORAL RABIES VACCINE IN FOUR STATES

 

RIVERDALE, Md., Aug. 22, 2006--Wildlife Services, a program within the U.S.

Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, will

distribute oral rabies vaccine baits in cooperation with the Ontario

Ministry of Natural Resources and Cornell Universitybeginning on or about

Aug. 22, to prevent the spread of raccoon rabies in portions of Maine, New

Hampshire, New York and Vermont.

 

Baits containing oral rabies vaccine will be distributed over rural areas

using low-flying twin-engine aircraft and hand baiting will occur in

populated regions using ground vehicles. The projected two-week aerial

portion of the program will target raccoons and result in the distribution

of more than 1.2 million baits covering roughly 9,675total square miles in

four states.

 

The vaccination zone has been established to prevent the northward movement

of the raccoon variant of rabies into Canada. The zone is reinforced

utilizing natural barriers such as the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence

River. Canada has a similar program in place vaccinating raccoons and foxes.

 

Since 1997, USDA has been cooperating with local, state and federal agencies

and Canada to establish a rabies-free barrier in the eastern United States

where the raccoon strain of rabies threatens wildlife populations and pets,

as well as public health and safety. The following states have been part of

a cooperative effort coordinated by WS: Alabama , Florida , Georgia , Maine

, Massachusetts , Maryland , New Hampshire , New York , North Carolina ,

Ohio , Pennsylvania , Tennessee , Vermont , Virginia and West Virginia .

 

Baits are made of fishmeal polymer and are packaged in one-inch square cubes

surrounding a sachet containing the vaccine or two-inch plastic sachets

coated with fishmeal crumbs. Humans and pets cannot get rabies from coming

into contact with the baits. Should you encounter a bait, please leave it

undisturbed. This vaccine has been shown to be safe in more than 60

different species of animals, including domestic dogs and cats. Dogs that

consume large numbers of baits may experience an upset stomach, but there

are no long-term health risks.

 

Most sightings of rabid raccoons occur during the spring and summer when

people are more likely to come into contact with wildlife. Raccoon rabies is

caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system in mammals.

Symptoms include unusual, aggressive or calm and “friendly” behavior, an

inability to eat or drink, balance problems, circling, seizures, coma and

finally death. Human exposures can be successfully treated if treatment is

sought immediately following a bite.

 

For additional information concerning the raccoon oral rabies vaccine

program, please visit http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/rabies/index.html

 

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/content/2006/08/rabine06.shtml

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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aapn

 

[Guest guest]

>will it not pose threat to pets and humans as it is a live

>vaccine.Some drug manufacturers has tried to sell it as for stray

>dogs/pets .can any one may highlight its uses and abuses.

 

 

The answer to this question was contained within the message

to which it responded:

 

>Humans and pets cannot get rabies from coming into contact with the

>baits. Should you encounter a bait, please leave it undisturbed.

>This vaccine has been shown to be safe in more than 60 different

>species of animals, including domestic dogs and cats. Dogs that

>consume large numbers of baits may experience an upset stomach, but

>there are no long-term health risks.

 

The prototype for Raboral, the vaccine used against raccoon

rabies, was developed in 1968 in Switzerland to deal with fox

rabies, and had already been used successfully to eradicate fox

rabies from western Europe for 18 years before field tests of the

variant for raccoons began in the U.S.

 

The oral rabies vaccine has now been used for 38 years

without any adverse effects in any non-target species.

 

 

 

 

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

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Fax: 360-579-2575

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