United States: In recent local reports, an Alabama woman has been bitten by a rabid fox, raising an alert of spreading rabies disease.
More about the news
The woman, whose name was not disclosed, was reportedly carrying a loaf of bread when “seemingly from out of nowhere, she was attacked and bitten by a fox,” as per the reports by the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH).
Additionally, news reports explained that women who were “older” were immediately given post-exposure treatment in order to avoid the risk of rabies infection, as Fox News reported.
Later, the fox in the picture was taken to the clinical laboratories of the Alabama Department of Public Health Bureau, where tests were performed and confirmed later that the fox was positive for rabies.
Know about Rabies infection
Rabies is caused by a virus, which makes the situation miserable for the infected until it takes his or her life if not treated well in time.
The US health agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stressed that when one gets infected, he or she must take immediate care, and must not wait. And for the infection, it must be treated even before the appearance of symptoms.
According to the experts, it is mostly spread among people or pets via the bite or scratch of an infected animal.
As Dr. Dee W. Jones, Alabama’s public health veterinarian, stated, “Although rabies is primarily found in wild animals since widespread vaccination of domestic animals began over 70 years ago, it continues to be a public health threat,” as Fox News reported.
Moreover, “Although attacks such as this by rabid wildlife are rather uncommon, it highlights the risk rabies continues to pose and hopefully reminds people to be aware of the risks and continue to vaccinate their pets,” Jones added,
Rabies vaccination for animals
In the state of Alabama, pet owners, such as cats or dogs 12 years or older, are legally obliged to inoculate their pets with rabies vaccines.
The official release stated, “Vaccinating animals reduces the risk of rabies infection should exposure occur; thus, vaccinations protect animals, as well as their owners and caretakers.”
According to Dr. Marc Siegel, a physician, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, “Rabies treatments are reliably found in emergency rooms, as there isn’t enough demand to keep the shots in every doctor’s office or urgent care clinic,” as Fox News reported.
“Treatment involves a vaccine series and rabies immunoglobulin (a medication made up of antibodies against the rabies virus),” he continued.