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Six people in McLennan County being treated for rabies
Handling a cute little kitten now has six people in McLennan County receiving post-exposure rabies vaccinations to prevent the illness, according to a press release by the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District.
On Nov. 17, a confirmed case of rabies in a kitten was reported to the health district.
Read the rest of the release here:
Due to concerns about the potential of additional persons being exposed to this confirmed animal rabies case, the Health District is releasing additional case information to identify all other persons who may have been bitten by this rabid kitten, so they can receive post exposure rabies vaccinations to prevent rabies.
The rabid kitten was described as a two to three-month-old red (orange) tabby male that stayed near the address listed below (Rosenthal area, off of Hwy 77):
Pina’s Country Store and Cafe, 3857 S. Robinson Dr., Lorena, TX 76655
If you or someone you know were at the Country Store between Nov. 2 and Nov. 13 and were bitten by this kitten (or injured through a scratch with the kitten’s saliva contacting that fresh wound), contact your primary care physician immediately to discuss your risks. If a valid exposure has occurred, rabies post exposure vaccinations should be administered promptly to prevent this fatal disease.
A rabies exposure is defined as (1) an animal bite which breaks the skin or (2) exposure of broken skin (bled or had serious drainage within the past 24 hours) or mucous membranes to saliva or cerebrospinal fluid. Also, please contact the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District at (254) 750-5411.
This incident serves as a reminder to avoid handling stray animals. Think twice about petting any animal, particularly an unfamiliar animal, to avoid being bitten or scratched. Not only do bites and scratches hurt, but the animal’s saliva may pose a rabies virus exposure risk. All mammals, including humans, are susceptible to rabies. This deadly viral disease is usually found in Texas wildlife, most notably skunks, bats, raccoons, coyotes and foxes, but it can spill over from these animals into unvaccinated domestic animals.
For more information on rabies prevention, please contact the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District at 254-750-5411 or the Department of State Health Services Web site at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/rabies.
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