Rabies

Rabies — one of the oldest recorded infectious diseases — remains a considerable problem, causing about 55,000 human deaths each year in Asia and Africa, according to the World Health Organization.

In Canada, control and education programs have been successful in stemming the spread of the deadly virus, which is spread by saliva in a bite or a lick from an infected animal.

Between 1,000 and 1,500 Canadians receive the post-exposure treatment for rabies every year, but the virus has only killed 21 people in the country since record-keeping began in 1925.

However, despite its rarity in the country, people who have been bit by animals who carry the virus — most often bats, skunks and raccoons — must get the vaccine within two weeks of being attacked, or it's usually too late.

Sometimes people don't realize they’ve contracted the illness, which attacks the central nervous system to ravage the brain and spinal cord, but can often be mistaken in its early stages for the flu.

The most recent rabies-related death was that of British Columbia man who is believed to have contracted the virus from a bat in 2003. In another recent case, a nine-year-old Quebec boy who was bitten by a bat died in 2000.

In early March 2007, health officials in Alberta confirmed that a man who was bitten by a bat while sleeping had developed rabies. The man did not seek immediate treatment after he was attacked in August 2006 and was seriously ill in hospital, they said.

In August 2007, officials co-ordinated an aerial drop of cookies spiked with an oral rabies vaccine after infected raccoons were found south of Montreal. In the same month, health officials in Manitoulin Island warned a bat had tested positive for the disease, the first time it had appeared in the area since 1963.

In recent years, authorities have been concerned that the disease might be spreading in Canada through an ever-growing raccoon population that is moving north from the United States and settling into urban centres. No Canadians have yet died of a raccoon strain of rabies.

Treatment for humans

The incubation period of rabies in humans varies, ranging from five days to several years.

Initial symptoms typically resemble the flu, with patients reporting fever, fatigue, and headaches. Later, individuals may become aggressive and experience difficulty swallowing, convulsions, insomnia, hallucinations and feelings of anxiety.

If left untreated, rabies can lead to paralysis and coma, followed by death. The Public Health Agency of Canada advises people who suspect they may have sustained a bite from a rabid animal to clean their wounds with soap and water and consult their doctor immediately. Anti-rabies vaccines, when given soon after a bite, are almost always effective.

To block the spread of the disease, people should maintain their pets' vaccinations, avoid volatile or aggressive animals, and observe wildlife from a safe distance.

If you believe your animal is rabid, you are legally required to file a report with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

Dumb vs. furious rabies

Rabies manifests in animals in two different forms: so-called "dumb" rabies and "furious" rabies.

In dumb rabies, domestic animals may exhibit signs of depression while wild animals may appear abnormally friendly. Animals may also suffer paralysis, causing drooling or pained facial expressions.

In furious rabies, animals are excitable and aggressive and may attack other animals or themselves. They may also suffer period of depression.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has recorded hundreds of animal rabies cases, the most common carriers being bats, skunks and raccoons.

Raccoon rabies breaks the buffer zone

Canadian officials have been worried for some time about raccoon rabies entering Canada. Discovered in Florida over 50 years ago, it has been spreading north through the United States.

For several years, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has been trapping, vaccinating and releasing animals near the major border crossings.

They are trying to build up buffer zones of vaccinated raccoons to minimize the spread of the virus.

The provincial government estimates that between 1994 and 2005, the program vaccinated up to 78 per cent of the raccoon population in the Niagara region of Ontario and along the St. Lawrence River.

But raccoon rabies made it through the buffer zone. Three cases were diagnosed in Ontario in 1999 — outside the vaccination area.

The first was in a farmyard near Brockville; the second showed up some 20 kilometres away in Prescott. Those cases appeared in July, and then in September, a third case was diagnosed 20 kilometres north of the first two.

Authorities are particularly concerned about rabies spread through raccoons because the animals have adapted well to living in urban and suburban areas and aren't afraid of humans.

Officials say they will continue with the program until the threat of raccoon rabies is completely eliminated.