Rabies
The Champaign Health District performs rabies control inspections to protect the community.
Rabies is a serious disease that affects animals and humans and can result in death if left untreated. State regulations require all animal bites and exposure incidents be reported to the Board of Health immediately. To report an incident, please contact us by phone at 937-484-1606. Click here for rules pertaining to quarantines and vaccinations of biting animals.
The Champaign Health District investigates all reported animal bites within Champaign County. These investigations typically involve contacting the person bitten, the owner of the animal, and the veterinarian to obtain the pertinent health and vaccination information for the animal involved in the biting incident. The animal is then observed at the end of the 10 ten day quarantine period.
When animals involved are wild or stray, and the animal can not be located, please contact your family physician for consultation regarding rabies prophylaxis.
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Rabies in Humans
Definition & Symptoms
Rabies is a virus, an acute encephalomyelitis that nearly always leads to coma or death within 10 days following the first symptom. Humans infected with rabies may have an asymptomatic incubation period at first. The incubation period may range from 10 days to, in rare cases, over a year. The average incubation period is about 31 to 90 days. Pain and lack of feeling at the infection site is common. Non-specific symptoms like general malaise, fever, chills, headache, and sore throat are often reported. Behavioral changes such as apprehension, agitation, irritability, anxiety, insomnia and depression are also reported.
Prevention
Any mammal is capable of contracting rabies, but the most often affected animals in the U.S. include raccoons, bats, skunks, and foxes. Staying away from wildlife is the best way to avoid exposure to rabies. If you find a wild animal that is injured, contact local authorities for help and do not touch the animal.
Pets can contract rabies from wildlife and then possibly spread it to humans, so preventing rabies in pets through rabies vaccination is an important piece to preventing rabies in humans.
Children can have the greatest risk from rabies since they are more likely to be bitten by dogs or other animals. Children are also more prone to being exposed through multiple bites in high-risk areas of the body. Severe exposures are more difficult to prevent rabies, which is why immediate medical attention is necessary.
Prevention of rabies in humans is 100% preventable through appropriate, prompt medical care.
Transmission
Transmission occurs primarily by the bite of an infected animal. Saliva or other potentially infectious material that is introduced to a mucous membrane or open wound can also be a mode of transmission. The incubation period in humans is usually 31-90 days, with a range from 9 days to as long as a year or more. It is rare, but possible for people to contract rabies from a non-bite exposure, which could be an abrasion, scratch, or open wound that is exposed to saliva or other infectious material from an animal with rabies. Other types of contact that include petting a rabid animal or contact with the urine, feces, or blood of a rabid animal, are not considered to be a risk of exposure to rabies.
Treatment
Humans exposed to rabies should seek medical care immediately. On the same day of exposure, humans will receive postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) which consists of a dose of human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) and rabies vaccine. Additional doses of vaccine will then be given again on days 3, 7, and 14. The combination of vaccine and HRIG is recommended for bite and non-bite rabies exposures, regardless of the time elapsed between exposure and start of treatment. PEP will protect humans from developing rabies, which will not allow for further rabies exposure to other humans.
Rabies in Pets
Definition & Symptoms
Rabies is a virus that causes acute encephalitis in warm-blooded hosts and the outcome of the virus is always fatal. The initial symptoms of rabies can include behavior changes, agitation, lethargy, vomiting, fever, excessive salivation or foaming at the mouth, and anorexia. Signs and symptoms progress within days to cranial nerve dysfunction, ataxia, cerebral dysfunction, weakness, difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, paralysis, and seizures.
Prevention
Vaccinate pets like dogs, cats, and ferrets to prevent rabies. All mammals are able to contract rabies. Establish regular visits to a veterinarian and keep rabies vaccinations up-to-date to protect pets.
Keeping control of pets will decrease risk of rabies exposure from wildlife or stray animals. Keep cats and ferrets indoors and make sure dogs are under direct supervision when outdoors.
Spaying or neutering your pets will help reduce exposure to unwanted pets that may not be vaccinated or properly cared for.
Call animal control regarding all stray animals, since they may be ill or unvaccinated.
Transmission
Transmission occurs primarily by the bite of an infected animal. Saliva or other potentially infectious material that is introduced to a mucous membrane or open wound can also be a mode of transmission. Rabies virus can be present in the saliva of infected cats, dogs, and ferrets for a few days after death and/or before illness. The incubation period for dogs, cats, and ferrets can range from two weeks to four months.
Treatment
Dogs, cats, and ferrets that have an up-to-date rabies vaccination should be re-vaccinated immediately, kept under the control of the owner, and observed for 45 days. If the animal under observation begins developing any signs of illness, it needs to be evaluated by a veterinarian. If the animal develops signs and symptoms which are suggestive of rabies, it should be euthanized.