Prevent Animal-Borne Diseases This Summer
May 1, 2008 - DENVER - State health officials joined
the Jefferson County Department of Health and Environment
Wednesday in reminding residents that as summer approaches,
so does the risk of contracting certain animal-borne
diseases, such as rabies, West Nile virus, Western equine
encephalitis, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, plague,
tularemia, and Colorado tick fever.
These diseases can be carried by various animals and insects
such as rodents, mosquitoes or ticks and then transmitted to
humans. They also are more common during the summer when
people tend to be outdoors more often and wild animals and
insects are active.
State health epidemiologists and Jefferson County officials
recommend that everyone help control the presence of rodents
and mosquitoes around their home; and, when heading
outdoors, particularly to areas where wild animals and
insects are active, wear insect repellant, appropriate
clothing and protect \pets from fleas and ticks. And,
remember not to handle sick or dead animals or animal waste.
The following few precautions go a long way towards
preventing animal-borne disease.
Rabies
Rabies is an infectious viral disease that affects the
nervous system of humans and other mammals. People get
rabies from the bite of a rabies-infected animal (rabid
animal). Any wild mammal, such as raccoon, skunk, fox,
coyote or bat can have rabies and transmit it to people
through a bite. It is also possible, although rare, for
persons to get rabies when infectious material, such as
saliva from a rabid animal, gets into an individual’s eyes,
nose, mouth or open wound. Bats are by far the most common
carriers of rabies in Colorado and Jefferson County.
Bats and Rabies: Rabies can only be confirmed in a
laboratory. However, any bat that is active by day (seen in
places where bats are not usually seen, i.e. indoors, on the
lawn) or any bat that is unable to fly, is much more likely
to be rabid than others. Thus, the best advice is to not
handle any bats. It is also a good idea to keep bats from
entering your home by using screens or closing windows,
doors and other openings. If you find a dead bat, use a
shovel to place bat in plastic bag, tie knot in bag and
dispose of bag in outdoor trash container. Unusual bat
activity or dead bat locations can be reported to your local
public health department to assist in surveillance efforts.
Bites and Exposures: If bitten by a bat, dog, cat,
raccoon or other mammal, wash the affected area thoroughly
and seek medical advice immediately. Contact the local
animal control agency and notify them of the location of the
animal so that, if indicated, the animal can undergo
appropriate testing or quarantine.
West Nile Virus and Western Equine Encephalitis
These diseases are carried by mosquitoes and can be passed
on to humans through the familiar mosquito bite. Both can
also cause encephalitis or inflammation of the brain and
lining of the brain and spinal cord. Encephalitis can be
life threatening for anyone and is particularly serious for
those whose ability to fight off infections is compromised.
Not all mosquitoes carry disease; the mosquitoes of greatest
concern are the Culex tarsalis and Culex pipiens,
medium-sized mosquitoes that feed primarily in the few hours
around dawn and dusk.
Preventing mosquito-borne disease: The best way to
prevent mosquito-borne disease is to mosquito proof your
home and backyard and prevent mosquito bites. Wearing
appropriate clothing and insect repellant when outdoors can
greatly reduce your risk of being bitten. This is especially
important during dawn or dusk, when mosquitoes are eating.
For a complete list of repellants and their effectiveness,
please visit
www.fightthebitecolorado.com or the Jefferson County
Public Health Web site at
health.jeffco.us .
Culex mosquitoes breed in almost any source of standing
water, including old tires, irrigated fields, flowerpots,
tree holes, or any puddle of water that lasts for more than
a few days. Mosquitoes lay up to 250 eggs at a time in still
water, which hatch into adult mosquitoes in as few as 2-3
days. If standing water is eliminated weekly, many
mosquitoes will be kept from breeding in the first place.
Symptoms: Although most people who are infected with
mosquito-borne viruses do not become ill and have no
symptoms, others may develop symptoms between 3 and 14 days
after being bitten. Symptoms may include fever, headache and
tiredness lasting about 2-7 days. In some cases, the virus
can cause a more serious brain infection such as aseptic
meningitis or encephalitis. These infections begin with a
sudden onset of high fever and a headache, and then may
progress to stiff neck, disorientation, tremors, and coma.
Severe infections can result in permanent impairment or
death. There is no specific treatment for infection with
these viruses except supportive care.
Plague
Plague is a disease caused by a bacterium named Yersinia
pestis. These bacteria can be transmitted to humans by the
bites of infected fleas or by direct contact with infected
animals. Plague is frequently detected in rock squirrels,
prairie dogs, wood rats and other species of ground
squirrels and chipmunks. It is also found in fox squirrels,
a tree squirrel common in front range city parks and
residential areas. In Jefferson County and elsewhere, public
health professionals monitor prairie dog populations for the
presence of plague. A die-off of prairie dogs is often a
signal that plague is active. Citizens are requested to
report any sizable rodent or rabbit die-off to their local
public health department. Jefferson county residents should
call 303-271-5700.
Symptoms: The incubation period for plague is usually
2-6 days. Typical symptoms include sudden onset of fever and
chills, severe headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and
a general feeling of systemic illness. Lymph node pain and
swelling is a suggestive symptom of bubonic plague.
Treatment with antibiotics is effective during the early
stages of disease.
Preventing plague: The best way to prevent plague is
to control the presence of rodents and fleas in and around
the home. In addition, people should avoid contact with any
species of wild rodents, especially sick or dead rodents.
Dogs and cats should be confined so they cannot prey on
infected rodents and then bring the disease home with them.
Pet owners who live close to rodent populations should use
flea control products recommended by their veterinarian.
Controlling fleas on pets will prevent the transfer of fleas
to humans. If these reasonable precautions are taken, the
probability of contracting plague is extremely low.
If a dead rabbit, squirrel, prairie dog or other rodent is
found, do not directly handle the animal. Use gloves and
place in a plastic bag. Large die-offs of dead squirrels,
prairie dogs, other rodents and rabbits should be reported
to your local public health department. Jefferson county
residents should call 303-271-5700.
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a serious respiratory
disease caused by a virus (hantavirus). Hantavirus is
carried by wild rodents, particularly deer mice, and is
present in their droppings (feces), urine and saliva. These
dried droppings or urine can be stirred up in dust and
breathed in by people. People may get hantavirus when they
breathe in air contaminated by the virus. Hantavirus has not
been shown to infect other kinds of animals, such as dogs,
cats or farm animals. The disease is not contagious and does
not spread from human to human.
Symptoms: The incubation period (time between
exposure and appearance of symptoms) varies widely, but
ranges from 1 to 6 weeks, with an average of 2-3 weeks.
First symptoms of HPS include fever, headache, and muscle
pain, severe abdominal, joint and lower back pain, nausea
and vomiting. A cough and shortness of breath usually
develops 1 to 5 days after the onset of symptoms. The
primary symptom of HPS is difficulty in breathing due to
fluid build-up in the lungs. This can quickly progress to
respiratory failure.
Preventing Hantavirus: The best way to prevent the
risk of hantavirus infection is to control the presence of
rodents in and around the home. This includes sealing up
rodent entry holes or gaps; trapping mice and rats; and,
being careful not to create food sources for the rodents,
i.e. keeping yard clean and putting away pet food.
Hantavirus is often encountered when cleaning vacated sheds,
cabins or other enclosed areas, so it is especially
important that areas where rodents have been are cleaned
cautiously and carefully. Areas should not be swept or
vacuumed as this can stir up dust. Instead, use gloves and
thoroughly wet contaminated areas with a bleach solution or
household disinfectant. Once wet, contaminated materials can
be taken up with damp towel and then mopped or sponged with
bleach solution or household disinfectant. Contaminated
gloves should be disinfected before taking them off. After
taking off the clean gloves, wash hands with soap and warm
water.
Colorado tick fever
Colorado tick fever is caused by a virus that thrives in the
environment through a rodent-tick-rodent cycle. The virus
can be transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected
Rocky Mountain wood tick. Ticks emerge in the mountains of
Colorado in late March and are present throughout the summer
with the peak season occurring in late May through early
June.
Symptoms: Colorado tick fever is the most common
tick-borne disease in Colorado. However, it is believed that
most cases go unrecognized. This viral illness is
characterized by fever, headache, body aches, nausea,
abdominal pain, and lethargy. Symptoms usually last 4-5
days, followed by an apparent recovery, and then a relapse
with symptoms for 2-3 more days. Complete recovery can take
2 or 3 weeks. The disease is not life threatening and
infection results in life-long immunity.
Tularemia
Tularemia is bacterial disease associated with various
animal species, especially rodents, rabbits, hares and
beavers. Humans can be infected with the bacteria, which is
treatable with appropriate antibiotics. People can get
tularemia from many different sources including through the
bite of an infected insect (usually a tick or deerfly),
handling infected animal carcasses, consuming contaminated
food or water, or by inhalation of the bacteria. Although
this disease can occur throughout the year, the peak times
correspond with tick season (in spring and summer and with
the rabbit hunting season in early winter. Tularemia is not
spread from person to person.
Symptoms: Symptoms of tularemia disease usually
appear 3-5 days after exposure and can include a sudden high
fever, headaches, swollen lymph nodes, muscle and joint
pain, and a sore or lesion at the site where the bacteria
entered the body. In addition, if the bacteria are ingested,
such as by swallowing contaminated water or eating
improperly cooked/prepared rabbit meat, a person may have a
sore throat, abdominal pain, vomiting or diarrhea. If any of
these symptoms are noted after handling dead animals or
swallowing untreated drinking water (as you find in a
creek), contact your physician.
Preventing Tularemia:
Recommendations for avoiding exposure to tularemia include
the
following:
- Do not handle sick or dead animals. Instruct children to
leave wildlife alone.
- Wear rubber gloves when skinning or handling animals,
especially rabbits.
- Thoroughly cook meat from wild game, especially rabbit
and squirrel meat, before eating.
- Use protective clothing and insect repellents to avoid
deerfly and tick bites.
- Conduct frequent “tick checks”.
- Avoid untreated drinking water.
- Use DEET or other tick repellant during the Colorado
tick season. Ticks emerge in the mountains of Colorado in
late March and are present throughout the summer with the
peak season occurring in late May through early June.
For more information on animal borne disease and prevention
visit the Colorado Department of Health and Environment Web
site:
www.cdphe.state.co.us or the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) at
www.cdc.gov
Jefferson county residents may call the Jefferson County
Department of Health’s Zoonosis Program at 303-271-5700 or
visit
health.jeffco.us .
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