Emergence of Raccoon Rabies in Connecticut, 1991–1994: Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of Animal Infection and Human Contact

Wilson, Mark L.; Bretsky, Philip; Cooper, Genevieve; Egbertson, S. H.; Kruiningen, Herbert J. Van; Cartter, Matthew L.

doi:10.4269/ajtmh.1997.57.457

Cited by 60 publications

(52 citation statements)

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“…After 1992, specimen submissions increased to almost eightfold, and the number of positive animals increased to 45-fold. Similar to observations in other jurisdictions (Fischman et al, 1992;Krebs et al, 1994;Wilson et al, 1997;Guerra et al, 2003;Krebs et al, 2004), raccoons and skunks with the raccoon strain virus became the predominant animals positive for rabies, and the diversity of submitted and positive animals continued to increase significantly. In the period 1985-1991, bats accounted for 50/52 (96%) rabiespositive animals, with two foxes with bat strain rabies.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…Bats were 15.5% of submissions and 8.5% of positives. These characteristics of animal submissions and testing results mirror those observed in Connecticut (Wilson et al, 1997). The relative number of submissions and positive results relate to the transmission characteristics of raccoon rabies, the continued enzootic occurrence of bat rabies, the accessibility of animals for testing, and public awareness.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 57%

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Animal Rabies in Massachusetts, 1985–2006

Wang

Werner

Konomi

et al. 2009

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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ABSTRACT:In this study, we review annual rabies data from Massachusetts from 1985 to 2006, spanning the introduction of raccoon strain rabies in 1992. Of 52,034 animals tested, 9.7% (5,049/ 52,034) were rabid, representing 26 of over 67 species submitted. Bats were the most common rabid animals prior to 1992 (50 of 52), but raccoons (Procyon lotor) became the most common rabies-positive species upon arrival of raccoon strain rabies virus (38.2%, 2,728 of 7,138 tested), followed by striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis, 34.4%, 1,489 of 4,332), bats (5.3%, 427 of 8,053), foxes (red fox, Vulpes vulpes, and gray fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus, 16.3%, 135 of 827), cats (0.8%, 136 of 18,050), and woodchucks (Marmota monax, 5.7%, 82 of 1,446). Cats were the most frequently tested animal (34.7%). Raccoon strain rabies spread from two foci of introduction with an initial epizootic phase of 4 yr, by which time most of the state was affected. In 1992, there was a transition from enzootic bat rabies, with little spillover to other animals, to terrestrial rabies associated with raccoon strain virus. Although raccoons were most affected by the raccoon strain virus, there was spillover to other species, particularly to skunks. The eastern United States raccoon rabies epizootic led to a marked increase in submissions for rabies testing and the number of positive animals detected; however, bat rabies cases remained at their previous levels. Wild animal rabies presents a significant threat to humans and domestic/companion animals and increased costs related to increased demand for rabies testing, postexposure prophylaxis as well as euthanasia of valuable domestic animals.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 57%

Animal Rabies in Massachusetts, 1985–2006

Wang

Werner

Konomi

et al. 2009

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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“…In Massachusetts, the disease apparently jumped 100 km from Connecticut due to raccoons being transported by refuse trucks (Wilson et al, 1997). In Ontario, there have been 15 reported instances during 1996-98 where raccoons were transported via tractor trailers from the raccoon rabies enzootic area of the United States into the Greater Toronto area of Ontario.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When raccoon rabies enters an area, the rate of spread is usually quite rapid (40-60 km/yr) (Jenkins and Winkler, 1987;Winkler and Jenkins, 1991) and epizootic/ enzootic conditions are soon achieved with resultant dramatic increases in total cases of rabies (Table 5) (Brown and Szakacs, 1997;Krebs et al, 1997;Wilson et al, 1997;Robbins et al, 1998). In Connecticut, the first case of raccoon rabies appeared in March 1991.…”

Section: Has Raccoon Rabies In Ontario Actually Been Controlled?mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Emergency Response to Raccoon Rabies Introduction Into Ontario

Rosatte

Donovan

Allan

et al. 2001

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

103

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During 15 July to 4 October, 1999, rabies control programs were implemented with the objective being to contain the first three confirmed cases of raccoon rabies in Canada. The strategy, called point infection control (PIC) involved the use of three tactics: population reduction (PR), trap-vaccinate-release (TVR) and oral rabies vaccination with baits (ORV), to control the spread of raccoon rabies. A total of 1,202 raccoons (Procyon lotor) and 337 skunks (Mephitis mephitis) were captured and euthanized using 24,719 trap-nights in the three PR zones around the location of the three rabies cases, near Brockville, Ontario. That represented an 83% to 91% reduction in the raccoon populations in an approximate 225 km 2 area around the three rabies cases. Raccoon density in the PR zones declined from 5.1-7.1/km 2 to 0.6-1.1/km 2 following control. All tested specimens were negative for rabies by the fluorescent antibody test (FAT). In addition, 1,759 raccoons and 377 skunks were intramuscularly vaccinated against rabies and released using 27,956 trap-nights in an approximate 485 km 2 TVR zone implemented outside of the PR zones. A total of 856 cats from both PR and TVR areas were also captured, vaccinated and released. Cost for the three PIC operations was $363,000.00 Cdn or about $500.00 Cdn/ km 2 . To further contain the outbreak, about 81,300 baits containing Raboral V-RG oral rabies vaccine were aerially distributed on 8 and 27 September 1999, to create an 8 to 15 km wide buffer zone (1,200 km 2 area) of vaccinated raccoons immediately beyond the PR and TVR zones. This was the first time that V-RG was used in Canada to orally vaccinate free ranging raccoons against rabies. Baiting costs were $241,000.00 Cdn or about $200.00 Cdn/km 2 including post baiting assessment costs. As of 31 August, 2000, thirty-five additional cases (38 in total) of raccoon rabies have occurred in the control and vaccination zones. This number is far below the level of rabies prevalence in USA jurisdictions where raccoon rabies was epizootic. In the future, PIC methodologies will continue to be used in Ontario to contain isolated cases of raccoon rabies.

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Targeted surveillance of raccoon rabies in Québec, Canada

et al. 2011

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Data from wildlife disease surveillance programs are used to inform implementation of disease control (e.g., vaccination, population reduction) in space and time. We developed an approach to increase detection of raccoon rabies in raccoons (Procyon lotor) and skunks (Mephitis mephitis) of Québec, Canada, and we examined the implications of using this approach for targeted surveillance. First we modeled the probability of sampling a rabid animal relative to environmental characteristics of sampling locations. Rabid animals were more likely to be found in low-lying flat landscapes that had higher proportions of corn-forest edge habitat and hay agriculture, and that were within 20 km of one or more known rabies cases. From the model, we created 2 complementary risk maps to identify areas where rabid animals were most likely to be sampled. One map accounted for habitat and known rabies case locations, and can be used to define an infection zone from which surveillance can be targeted along the periphery to determine if disease is continuing to spread. The other map only accounted for habitat and can be used to locate areas most likely to contain rabid animals when the disease is present. In a further analysis we compared the 2 most successful methods for detecting raccoon rabies in Québec, given the disease was present. Government trapping operations (active surveillance) detected more cases in the short-term, but citizen notification (passive and enhanced) was more effective after 12 trapping days from which the initial rabies case was found. Our approach can benefit wildlife and public health agencies wanting to assess the disease status of regions by targeting surveillance to habitats most likely to contain infected animals and by defining the duration over which sampling methods are effective. ß 2011 The Wildlife Society.

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Emergence of Raccoon Rabies in Connecticut, 1991–1994: Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of Animal Infection and Human Contact

Cited by 60 publications

References 0 publications

Animal Rabies in Massachusetts, 1985–2006

Animal Rabies in Massachusetts, 1985–2006

Emergency Response to Raccoon Rabies Introduction Into Ontario

Targeted surveillance of raccoon rabies in Québec, Canada

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