disease on domesticated animals
Rabies alert issued for Weston; Florida area Blog Write- Up by Radhika Chhetri
September 25, 2021
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What: On September 21, 2021, in Broward County, Florida, the Department of Health issued a rabies outbreak alert, with a portion of Weston being a major focus (News Desk, 2021). The rabies alert was issued in response to a fox that had just tested positive on September 17th, 2021. Florida Reports 53 animals tested positive of rabies in the first eight months of 2021. There have been no current confirmed cases of the disease on domesticated animals or infection to humans, but it was a necessary precaution to sensitize the public.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) (2021), rabies is described as a deadly virus that is transmitted or spread to individuals by coming into contact with the saliva of infected animals. A bite by the infected animal, hence coming into conduct with its saliva on the open wound, is the primary mechanism in rabies transmission to humans. Foxes, coyotes, skunks, raccoons, and bats are the most likely animals responsible for rabies transmission in the United States.
Why Important: According to CDC, each year more than 59,000 people died from rabies around the world while rabies is 100% preventable disease. The alert was meant to warn all Broward County residents and visitors to be aware of rabies presence in the wild animal population. Additionally, this alert was meant to initiate a massive vaccination of domestic animals whose rabies immunization schedules were not updated, owing to the great risk of transmission of the disease. The alert was designed to maintain a heightened awareness among the public members of the reported rabies case in the wild fox (News Desk, 2021). It was also speculated that rabies could occur beyond the alert areas. Infected individuals were initially present with flu-like symptoms, which only last a day. Later on, they would present with anxiety, fever, headache, nausea, dysphagia, insomnia, excessive salivation, and hyperactivity. The disease can be lethal if no treatment is initiated immediately; hence those reported to have been bitten by a wild or domestic animal should receive rabies vaccination along with other adjunctive therapies.
