Human rabies vaccine shortage Published Dec. 30, 2008 By Capt. Erin Brown Ellsworth Air Force Base Veterinary Services ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. -- The city of San Antonio, specifically Bexar County, recently confirmed a case of rabies by the city's Animal Care Services Department. The most recent case involved a 6-month-old kitten that was not properly vaccinated for the disease. A total of 17 cases have been confirmed in Bexar County in a variety of animals, both wild and domestic since the beginning of 2008. Combined with an increase in the number of national cases, a manufacturing issue has led to a national, temporary shortage of the human rabies vaccine. Currently, only those who have been exposed and are at a high-risk for contracting rabies are currently eligible to receive the vaccine. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the shortage will likely continue into mid- to late-2009, according to the CDC website at www.cdc.gov. Although, rabies incidences are commonly seen in wildlife, especially bats and skunks nationally, South Dakota is no exception to exposure -- the state had 27 confirmed cases in 2007. The disease is rare in domesticated animals, such as dogs and cats; however, South Dakota did report two confirmed cases each in both domestic felines and dogs in 2007. Rabies is a viral disease spread primarily through infected saliva, said Capt Erin Brown, Ellsworth Veterinary Clinic staff veterinarian. The virus can also be spread through neural tissue, which is rare. For an animal (including humans) to be infected, the animal needs to be bitten by another animal carrying the active virus. Transmission through abrasions or scratches can also happen but are rare, she said. Once inside the blood stream, the virus attaches to nerves and is carried via the central nervous system to the brain, which eventually causes death in nearly all cases. In animals to include humans, rabies symptoms are apparent within 10 days of initial exposure, however, they can appear as late as six months. Common symptoms are anxiety, confusion and agitation, which progresses to delirium, insomnia and abnormal behavior. The majority of suspected cases of rabies in animals are humanely euthanized and the diagnosis is confirmed through necropsy. "Wildlife suspected of rabies should never be handled and the appropriate authorities need to be contacted to handle the animal," Dr. Brown said. "Only one unvaccinated human case of confirmed rabies is known to have survived the infection." "This vaccine shortage highlights how imperative it is for all pet owners to have their animals vaccinated against the disease," Dr. Brown said. "The US Army Veterinary Command is attempting to reduce the incidence of rabies through prevention at each of its veterinary treatment facilities located throughout the world," said Col. David Rolfe, VETCOM commander. "If a [Department of Defense] servicemember owns a domestic animal [and resides in base housing], they are required to register that animal at the closest VTF upon arrival to [their home] station as well as ensure [the animal has] current vaccinations, to include rabies. "It is very important for our servicemembers to have the best prevention possible against this deadly disease." For more information, contact the Ellsworth Veterinary Clinic at (605) 385-1589.