GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A second rabid bat has been confirmed in Michigan.
In accordance with the Michigan Division of Well being & Human Companies, two bats have examined constructive for rabies this yr: one in Berrien County and one in St. Clair County.
On common, Michigan confirms roughly 40 circumstances of rabies in animals annually throughout the state. Final yr, the state reported 55 circumstances, together with 34 bats, 19 skunks, one cat and one canine. That features animals in Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Van Buren counties.
The rabies virus assaults the central nervous system and is nearly at all times deadly if no therapy is taken earlier than signs seem.
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“After publicity to rabies, the virus should journey from the positioning of the chunk to the mind earlier than signs start. That is referred to as the incubation interval, and it may possibly final from a couple of weeks to months,” the state company says.
Rabies comes with a number of distinctive signs. It usually begins with a fever and headache, normal weak spot and an itching sensation on the web site of the publicity. Over time, extra mind dysfunction will seem, together with issue sleeping, anxiousness and confusion, hallucinations, aggression, partial paralysis, issue swallowing and a worry of water.
You’ll be able to nonetheless be uncovered to rabies by wild animals even when they aren’t exhibiting signs. That’s the reason you will need to at all times maintain your distance from wild animals.
For pet house owners and farmers, the best method to defend your animals is to maintain them up to date on their vaccines. State legislation requires all canines and ferrets to be vaccinated for rabies. The vaccine can also be beneficial for all cats and any home livestock.
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Not like people, there isn’t a post-exposure therapy for animals, so unvaccinated pets which can be uncovered to rabies could also be compelled to be euthanized to forestall its unfold.
When you suspect you could have been uncovered to rabies, attain out to your physician or native well being division instantly. All rabies testing have to be coordinated by way of the MDHHS and authorised by the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.
Anybody who was uncovered should undergo a collection of injections referred to as Rabies Postexposure Prophylaxis, together with photographs on the day of the publicity and vaccines three, seven and 14 days after the publicity.