City Health Dept. issues rabies alert in Brooklyn after dead raccoon tests positive

[hrmjustin]

JENNIFER FERMINO

The city Health Department has issued a rabies warning in Brooklyn after a dead raccoon tested positive for the infectious disease.

Animal Care and Control found the raccoon Aug. 15 on the 7800 block of 16th Ave. in Bensonhurst, a highly residential area just a few blocks from New Utrecth High School.

The positive rabies test came back from the lab on Tuesday. It’s the third rabid raccoon found in Brooklyn this year.

The raccoon died after attacking some feral cats and might have infected those animals with the disease, officials said Wednesday.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/rabies-alert-brooklyn-article-1.1910888?cid=bitly

[pinto]

1. Rabies is not uncommon in the West. Transmission is usually via a bite wound.

We are encouraged to report any dead raccoons, skunks, possums, feral cats, foxes, etc. - with no obvious violent fatality - to the local Public Health Department for pick-up and analysis. It's a little gruesome, but analysis has to happen with in 24 hrs and it involves testing brain tissue. Someone on staff is on-call after hours to do the work.

Same with any erratic behavior outside the norm. Many are nocturnal. Wandering around, disoriented in the day time is a red flag.

And don't feed the critters. They have their own niche in this big picture.

Good news is... There is a preventative and post-exposure vaccine. -

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/rabies.pdf

[hrmjustin]

2. It is a bit zcary because it is not far from me.

[pinto]

3. Don't get bit. I sleep outside at times here. There's a raccoon family that makes our neighborhood

part of its nightly rounds. Mothers show their kids the "route". We never interact. I hear them go by at times, foraging, but we ignore each other.

[hrmjustin]

4. lol not an option to sleep outside here but I do go by the water here and I do see them at times.