Rabies reports spread from Colo. into the panhandle

After reports of rabies in northeastern Colorado over the past few weeks, the virus has now been confirmed in the panhandle of Nebraska

As of July 15, 25 Nebraska animals have tested positive for rabies, according to officials at the Panhandle Public Health District. This number includes seven skunks. Across the entire state, the virus has been discovered in bats, cattle, cats, one llama, one horse, and a dog. In Nebraska, skunks and bats most commonly carry and spread the disease, according to the health district.

"Some humans in the panhandle have been exposed," said PPHD Surveillance Coordinator Becky Corman.

Most human exposure came from infected domestic animals, Corman added. PPHD recommends pet owners have their veterinarian vaccinate your dogs, cats, ferrets, horses, and valuable livestock against rabies, with booster vaccinations as directed.

Last year, the panhandle area saw a very high number of rabies cases. So far this year the number of rabid animals seems to be lower. However, Corman does not think this area has seen its yearly peak of rabies cases.

The last positive test in the panhandle was from a skunk during the second week of July, Corman said. The only panhandle counties that have seen positive tests so far are Sioux and Sheridan.

Sidney Mayor XXXX Gaston alerted the public last week that he'd heard of rabies in the area.

“We're anticipating there may be a problem with the [stray] cat and the skunk population in town," he said.

Corman agreed that contact with stray animals could put people in danger of contracting the disease.

"Anytime a person is exposed to unvaccinated animals, whether strays or pets, it increases their risk of contracting the virus," Corman explained.

Deanna Herbert, public information officer at Northeast Colorado Health Department confirmed that Peetz has recently seen quite a few rabies cases.

"Because we've seen it get into feral cat populations, that's why we've seen it in humans," Herbert said.

Her organization has reported nine humans who had to undergo rabies treatments since the beginning of the year. Six of them were exposed to the virus by cats.

"Once symptoms start, rabies is not treatable in humans," Herbert said.

The treatment that humans get after exposure is called post-exposure prophylaxis. This treatment not available for animals. PEP is a series of five shots that can be very pricey, sometime costing over a thousand dollars, Herbert reported.

The symptoms of rabies in humans at the very beginning of the disease are similar those of many other illnesses, including fever, headache, and general weakness or discomfort, according to NCHD. If the disease progresses, the symptoms become more telling. A person in the more advanced stages of rabies might exhibit symptoms of insomnia, anxiety, confusion, slight or partial paralysis, excitation, hallucinations, agitation, an increase in saliva production, difficulty swallowing and fear of water.

If bitten by an animal, seek medical attention and report the bite to your local public health department or animal control authorities immediately.

Corman provides some helpful tips to avoid being exposed to rabies:

If a pet is bitten, contact a veterinarian for an examination as soon as possible.

Do not touch or feed wild animals. Never bring wild animals into your home.

If a wild animals appear sick or injured, or is acting strangely, call animal control or police for assistance. Teach children to steer clear of unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they seem friendly.