|
Information about post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is available from the Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices available on the CDC website at
http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/. A reduction to four instead of five vaccine doses for PEP in
immunocompetent persons became official in March 2010 (MMWR 2010; 59 (No. RR-2).
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr5902.pdf
Also see Rabies (Human).
Recent Washington trends:
Of bats tested in Washington 5 to 10% are identified as rabid. Since 1987, four rabid domestic
animals were identified, two with bat variant virus.
2010:
There were 251 reports of PEP. The most common exposures were bats (51%), raccoons (19%), dogs (15%),
and cats (3%). For 10 cases, PEP followed exposure to a bat testing positive for rabies; 13 persons
receiving PEP had exposures out of state and 28 had exposures abroad. 14 of 200 (7%) bats tested were
rabid. No other animals tested in Washington were rabid.
Purpose of Reporting and Surveillance
-
To assist in the prevention of human cases of rabies
-
To offer rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and provide counseling to those who were
exposed to a rabid, or potentially rabid, animal or human
-
To facilitate the capture and confinement of potentially rabid animals (involved in a human exposure)
which have a defined observation period (dogs, cats, and ferrets); or facilitate histological
examination of the brain of potentially rabid animals (involved in a human exposure) for animals
that cannot be observed
Legal Reporting Requirements
Under the 2011 notifiable conditions rule revisions, the Washington Administrative Code (WAC)
was modified such that reporting of all animal bites is no longer required; instead, only
those situations in which human exposure to rabies is suspected are reportable to the local
health jurisdiction (LHJ). For the purposes of reporting, “Suspected Rabies Exposure” includes
two conditions listed in the 2011 rule revisions:
-
Rabies, suspected human exposure (due to a bite from or other exposure to an animal that is
suspected of being infected with rabies); and
-
Animal bites (when human exposure to rabies is suspected)
-
Health care providers:
immediately notifiable to local health jurisdiction
-
Health care facilities:
immediately notifiable to local health jurisdiction
-
Laboratories:
Rabies virus (human or animal specimen) immediately notifiable to local health jurisdiction;
specimen submission required – clinical specimen associated with positive result (2 business days)
-
Veterinarians:
suspected human case or exposure or animal case immediately notifiable to local health jurisdiction;
animal cases (excluding bats) also notifiable to Washington State Department of Agriculture (
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=16-70)
-
Local health jurisdictions:
notifiable to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) Communicable Disease Epidemiology (CDE)
within 7 days of case investigation completion or summary information required within 21 days
Last update
December 2011 |
|
