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HAMPSHIRE COUNTY FARM QUARANTINED FOR RABIES
West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass quarantined a Hampshire County cattle farm Wednesday after testing earlier this week revealed two animals infected with rabies. Six people are undergoing rabies treatments as a precaution, although none of them showed any signs of the disease.
“We are concerned that other animals in the herd also may have contracted rabies – either from wild animals, or each other – and none of them will be allowed off the farm until we can determine what level of risk they pose,” said Commissioner Douglass.
He added that suspicious skunks had been spotted on the farm a few weeks ago, but had not been seen since. Skunks can carry and spread rabies for up to six months, while other infected animals, such as dogs and cats, are typically dead within 10 days of infection, according to West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) State Veterinarian Joe Starcher.
Dr. Starcher said that three animals have died on the farm; the first to die was buried by the farmer and not analyzed for rabies. Two subsequent cows that died were sampled and tests were positive for rabies. There are approximately 85 animals left in the herd.
Other agencies involved in the investigation and response besides WVDA include the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, the local health department, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services and Veterinary Services.
Rabies, like the Asian bird flu, is classified as a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be carried by animals and transmitted to humans. Unlike bird flu, which does not seem to infect all the people exposed to it, rabies is very likely to infect anyone directly exposed to it through an animal bite. It is also different from bird flu and many other zoonotics in that it is always fatal if left untreated.
The best way for people to protect themselves from rabies is to have their pets vaccinated against the disease. Particularly in rural areas, pets may come into contact with infected wild animals, contract the disease, and pass it on to unsuspecting humans before becoming symptomatic. Once humans begin to show symptoms, it is usually too late for treatment to be effective.
Dr. Starcher added that state law requires that pet dogs and cats be vaccinated against rabies every two years, but noted that semi-wild “barn cats” are frequently welcomed by farmers to keep down rodent populations and are not routinely vaccinated.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.
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