|
Information
about post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is available from the
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices available on
the CDC website at
http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/. A reduction to four instead
of five vaccine doses for PEP in immunocompetent persons is
expected to become official in Fall 2009. Also see Rabies
(Human).
Recent Washington trends:
Of bats tested in Washington 5 to 10% are identified as
rabid. Since 1987, 4 rabid domestic animals were identified,
2 with bat variant virus (Table 3).
2008:
There were 291 reports of
PEP. The most common exposures were bats (62%), raccoons
(16%), dogs (12%), and cats (3%). For 25 cases, PEP followed
exposure to an animal testing positive for rabies (24 from
bats, one from a skunk in Rhode Island); 24 persons
receiving PEP had exposures out of state and 30 had
exposures outside of the country. 17 of 337 (5 %) bats
tested were rabid (Table 4). No other animals tested in
Washington were rabid (Tables 5).
Purpose of Reporting and
Surveillance
- To assess the risk of rabies exposure in persons bitten
or otherwise exposed to animal saliva or other potentially
infectious material (such as central nervous system tissue),
determine the need for rabies post-exposure prophylaxis
(PEP), and provide counseling to those who don» t require
rabies PEP.
- To facilitate the capture and confinement of potentially
rabid animals (involved in a human exposure) which have a
defined observation period (dogs, cats, and ferrets); or
facilitate histological examination of the brain of
potentially rabid animals (involved in a human exposure)
when those animals cannot be observed.
Legal Reporting Requirements
Animal Bites:
-
Health care providers:
immediately notifiable to local health jurisdiction.
-
Hospitals: immediately
notifiable to local health jurisdiction.
-
Laboratories: no
requirements for reporting.
-
Veterinarians:
immediately notifiable to local health jurisdiction.
-
Local health
jurisdictions: no requirements for reporting,
however staff at the
Washington State Department of Health (DOH) Communicable
Disease Epidemiology Section (CDES) are available for
consultation on management of animal bites as needed.
Rabies Post-Exposure Prophylaxis:
-
Health care
providers: notifiable to local health jurisdiction
within 3 work days.
-
Hospitals:
notifiable to local health jurisdiction within 3 work
days.
-
Laboratories:
no requirements for reporting.
-
Local health
jurisdictions: notifiable to CDES within 7 days of case
investigation completion or summary information required
within 21 days.
Last
update
November 2009 |
|
