Zoonoses Program
and Animal Disease Surveillance Report
What are zoonoses? (zo-o-no'-sez-)
These are diseases that can be spread from animals to humans
under natural conditions, such as rabies, west nile virus,
salmonella, monkey pox, sars, and plague to mention
a few of the more well know zoonoses.
ABOUT SWINE FLU(H1N1)
Swine flu or H1N1 Type
A is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses.
Outbreaks of swine flu happen regularly in pigs. People do
not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do
happen. Most commonly, human cases happen in individuals
who are around pigs, but it's possible for swine flu viruses
to spread from person to person also.
WHAT CAN
I DO TO PROTECT MYSELF FROM GETTING SICK?
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough
or sneeze, Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
If you do not have a tissue, cough into your elbow instead
of your hands.
WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN!! Use plenty of soap and water
for about 20 seconds. Alcohol based hand cleaners are also
effective.
Avoid close contact with sick people if possible.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, to avoid
spreading germs.
If you get sick,
stay home and limit contact with others to avoid infecting them.
WHAT ARE
THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF SWINE FLU IN PEOPLE?
Fever (greater than 100°F)
coughing/sneezing
sore throat
body aches
headache
chills, fatigue
The symptoms of swine
flu are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu. The
same can be said of the severity, It can range from mild to
severe.
WHAT SHOULD
I DO IF I GET SICK?
If you become ill
with influenza-like symptoms contact your health care provider for
further guidance. Be sure and tell your Doctor if you have recently
travelled, especially to areas where swine flu has already
been confirmed.
RABIES Rabies is a potentially fatal viral disease that affects
the nervous system. It is most commonly spread by a bite from
an infected animal. All mammals are capable of being infected
with rabies, but it is most often seen in wild mammals such
as raccoons, skunk, fox, and bat with occasional spillover into
other species. Domestic animals, like cats, dogs, ferrets and
livestock can also get rabies if they are not protected by vaccination.
Some animals almost never get rabies. These include wild rabbits,
squirrels, oppossum, chipmunks, rats, mice, guinea pigs, gerbils
and hamsters.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS
OF RABIES IN ANIMALS?
Behavioral changes characterize the signs and symptoms of
an animal that is infected with rabies. Symptoms at
first, can be so subtle they are not recognised as signs of
rabies infection, especially because the infected animal may
look healthy. Behavioral changes such as, refusing to
eat or drink, hind quarters paralysis, a marked
change in voice and a staggering "drunken" gait
are all signs you might observe in a sick animal.
Wild animals may lose their fear of natural enemies or people
and appear friendly. A normally friendly pet may become withdrawn
and irritable. As the disease progresses, the animal may become
aggressive, snapping at anything in its path, you may witness"frothing"
at the mouth and convulsions which lead to death. This disease
also mimics many other animal diseases, such as canine distemper,
feline parvo, poisoning, trauma, concusision, parasite infestation.and
can only be diagnosed by a lab.
HOW DO PEOPLE BECOME EXPOSED
TO RABIES?
The normal route of exposure to rabies is through a bite or
scratch from an infected animal. Exposure may also occur if
saliva from an infected animal enters a bleeding open wound
or comes in contact with an individuals eyes, mouth
or nose. If you are bitten by any animal, even your own pet,
wash the wound thoroughly with lots of soap and warm water,
then contact your health care provider and local health agency
for further evaluation.
HOW
CAN I PROTECT MYSELF, MY FAMILY AND MY PETS FROM RABIES? "If its not your own, leave it alone."
is a good ruleof thumb. Don't feed, touch, or
adopt stray/wild animals. Keep your pets and valuable livestock
vaccinated against rabies. Pets too young to be vaccinated,
should be kept indoors. Don't allow pets to roam at large
without supervision. Don't invite wildlife to your home or
yard. Keep your property free of foods that will attract unwanted
wild or stray animals. Always feed your pets indoors. Capping
your chimney is an easy and inexpensive way to keep out unwanted
guests. If a wild animal is found on your property, bring
your children and pets inside and let it wander off on its
own. This may take a while, but they will leave. If you do
not want to wait for them to leave on their own, you can choose
to contact a nuisance wildlife trapper who will come and remove
the animal for a fee.
RABIES
IN BATS Although bats are beneficial to our environment, they
are mammals and can be infected with rabies. Exposures occur
in the same manner that they do with other
mammals. A bats teeth are very small and very sharp, in
certain instances, it could be possible for a bite from a bat
to go undetected. Such situations may occur when a bat is found
next to a an unattended young child or pet, or when a bat is
found in a room with a person who is sleeping. If there is any
chance that a bat may have had contact with a person or pet,
the bat should be captured if possible and placed into a secure
container so it can be tested for rabies. Call your local health
agency for further advice.
If you are absolutely certain
that there has been no contact between a bat found in your
home and any human or pet, open a window and watch the bat
until you see it leave.
To capture a bat, confine
the bat to one room if possible and turn on the lights. Close
all the windows, closets, and doors. Stand quietly and wait
for the bat to land. Wearing gloves, place a coffee can, or
similar container over the bat. Slide a piece of cardboard
under the container trapping the bat inside. Holding the cardboard
firmly against the top turn it right side up and tape the
cardboard tightly to the container, then call your local health
agency for further advise. If you cannot capture the bat call
Wayne County Public Health or 911 for assistance.
