DURHAM, N.C. – The Durham County Department of Public Health received confirmation from the State Laboratory of Public Health in Raleigh of the county’s fourth animal rabies case in 2016.

The raccoon confirmed with rabies was discovered by a dog who brought the raccoon home on Friday, October 21.  There was no human contact.  Although the dog was up to date on his rabies vaccine, the homeowners were instructed to give the dog a booster shot.

Public Health works with the Animal Services division of the Durham County Sheriff’s Office and the Animal Protection Society (APS) of Durham to investigate suspected cases of rabies in animals and potential rabies exposures in humans.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 90% of all animal cases reported annually to CDC now occur in wildlife, especially in raccoons, bats, skunks, groundhogs, and foxes; before 1960 the majority were in domestic animals.  Farm animals, dogs, cats, and ferrets can also become infected, so measures should be taken to keep wild animals from entering houses, barns, and garages. Rabies is rarely found in squirrels, rabbits, gerbils, hamsters, opossums, chipmunks, rats, and other small rodents. 

The most common mode of rabies virus transmission is through the bite and virus-containing saliva of an infected animal.  Remember these tips to prevent exposure to rabies through wild animals:

• Never approach, handle, or feed wild or stray animals.
• Do not leave pets unattended or allow them to roam free.
• If you see a wild animal that is behaving abnormally or appears injured or in distress, do not approach or handle it. Notify Durham County Animal Services immediately by calling 919-560-0900.

Human rabies deaths are rare, and rabies in humans is 100% preventable through prompt appropriate medical care and vaccination, if exposed.

For more information about rabies, call 919-560-7896 or visit http://www.dconc.gov/government/departments-f-z/public-health/rabies-prevention-and-control.  Pet owners with questions about vaccination requirements should contact Durham County Animal Services at 919-560-0900.