Subject: Rabid Kitten, Mercer County, NJ
Date: 7/25/2008; 14:17:45
Message#: 100873-7-25-2008-PHAD
Attachments: None
A recently adopted free-roaming kitten was confirmed positive for rabies on July 22, 2008 at the New Jersey Public Health and Environmental Laboratories. The kitten was initially seen by a Burlington County veterinarian on July 17, 2008 for a febrile illness and was treated and discharged. It was later taken to a Mercer County veterinarian on July 19th. The animal’s condition continued to deteriorate and it was euthanized on July 21st and submitted for rabies testing. The kitten had no history of a bite wound or other exposure to a suspect rabid animal. The two owners of the kitten, three veterinarians and 6 veterinary technicians have begun rabies post-exposure prophylaxis as a result of bites, scratches or indirect exposures to saliva or central nervous system tissue. One owner who was scratched, has been hospitalized as a precaution but does not have neurological symptoms compatible with rabies, contrary to various reports.
The kitten’s two littermates have been euthanized due to close contact with the rabid kitten, and four additional cats housed at the owner’s residence have been put under a rabies confinement order by the Ewing Township Health Officer. The kittens had been adopted from a group of free-roaming cats in the nearby neighborhood. The Health Officer has distributed a notice to households in this area, warning them about contact with free-roaming cats and providing an alert that animal control will be capturing and impounding the stray cats in the group from which this kitten originated.
In New Jersey, cats are the most common domestic animal infected with rabies and present the greatest risk to spreading the disease to people. In the month of July 2008, there have been 3 cats confirmed rabid to date: the Mercer County kitten, as well as cats from Somerset and Atlantic Counties. Veterinarians are reminded to include rabies in the differential diagnosis for sudden onset of feline encephalitis and to immediately notify their local health department when they have a rabies suspect. Veterinary staff should routinely utilize gloves and other precautions when performing procedures such as oral examinations on all animals, particularly those with neurologic signs, no rabies vaccination history and a history of free-roaming or being housed outdoors.
Vaccination of all domestic companion animals beginning at 3 months of age should be stressed, with booster vaccinations administered prior to expiration of previous vaccination. Bats enter houses quite frequently, so even indoor cats need to be protected. It should be noted that animals receiving their initial rabies vaccination are not considered to be fully immunized until 28 days later. Persons who acquire cats that have been free-roaming (e.g., adopting from a group of feral cats) should be cautioned that these animals may have been exposed to rabies and could develop the disease up to 5 or 6 months later. Rabies vaccination of a cat that was exposed in the past and is incubating the disease will NOT prevent it from developing rabies.
The veterinarians and other public health staff at the NJDHSS are available to consult with veterinarians and local health department staff on rabies by calling 609-588-3121 between 8:00 and 5:00 on working days. Emergency staff can be reached of nights, weekends and holidays by calling 609-392-2020.
This information has been distributed to: DHSS Senior Staff; DHSS Staff; LINCS Coordinator Backups; LINCS Coordinators; LINCS Epidemiologists; LINCS Health Educators; LINCS Health Officer Assistants; LINCS Health Officers; LINCS Health Planners; LINCS IT Specialists; LINCS Partnership Coordinators; LINCS Public Health Nurses; LINCS Regional Health Planners; LINCS Team Members; LOCAL Health Officers; LOCAL Public Health; Animal Health Organizations; DHSS Program Staff; Public Health Associations; Public Health Council; State & Federal Government Leaders
Further distribution of this message should be directed to: Animal Health Professionals; Local Boards of Health; and other partners in your region, as appropriate.
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