Compendium of Animal Rabies Control, 1998 National Association of
State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc.
The purpose of this Compendium is to provide information on
rabies control to veterinarians, public health officials, and
others concerned with rabies control. These recommendations serve
as the basis for animal rabies-control programs throughout the
United States and facilitate standardization of procedures among
jurisdictions, thereby contributing to an effective national
rabies-control program. This document is reviewed annually and
revised as necessary. Recommendations for parenteral immunization
procedures are contained in Part I; all animal rabies vaccines
licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and
marketed in the United States are listed in Part II; Part III
details the principles of rabies control.
Part I: Recommendations for Parenteral Immunization Procedures
Vaccine Administration
All animal rabies vaccines should be restricted to use by, or
under the direct supervision of, a veterinarian.
Vaccine Selection
In comprehensive rabies-control programs, only vaccines with
a 3-year duration of immunity should be used. This procedure
constitutes the most effective method of increasing the
proportion
of immunized dogs and cats in any population (See Part II).
Route of Inoculation
All vaccines must be administered in accordance with the
specifications of the product label or package insert. If
administered intramuscularly, the vaccine must be injected at
one
site in the thigh.
Vaccination of Wildlife and Hybrids
The efficacy of parenteral rabies vaccination of wildlife and
hybrids (the offspring of wild animals crossbred to domestic
dogs
and cats) has not been established, and no rabies vaccine is
licensed for these animals. Zoos or research institutions may
establish vaccination programs that attempt to protect valuable
animals, but these programs should not replace appropriate
public
health activities that protect humans.
Accidental Human Exposure to Vaccine
Accidental inoculation may occur during administration of
animal rabies vaccine. Such exposure to inactivated vaccines
constitutes no rabies hazard.
Identification of Vaccinated Animals
All agencies and veterinarians should adopt the standard tag
system. This practice will aid the administration of local,
state,
national, and international control procedures. Animal license
tags should be distinguishable in shape and color from rabies
vaccine tags. Anodized aluminum rabies tags should be no less
than
0.064 inches in thickness.
Rabies Tags
-----------------------------------------
Calendar year Color Shape
-----------------------------------------
1998 Orange Oval
1999 Green Bell
2000 Red Heart
2001 Blue Rosette
-----------------------------------------
Rabies Certificate. All agencies and veterinarians should use
the National Association of State Public Health
Veterinarians,
Inc. (NASPHV) form #51, Rabies Vaccination Certificate, which
can
be obtained from vaccine manufacturers. Computer-generated
forms
containing the same information are acceptable.
Part II: Vaccines Marketed in the United States and NASPHV
Recommendations (Table_1)
Part III: Rabies Control
Principles of Rabies Control
Human Rabies Prevention. Rabies in humans can be prevented
either by eliminating exposures to rabid animals or by
providing
exposed persons with prompt local treatment of wounds
combined
with appropriate passive and active immunization. The
rationale
for recommending preexposure and postexposure rabies
prophylaxis
and details pertaining to their administration can be found
in the
current recommendations of the Immunization Practices
Advisory
Committee (ACIP) of the Public Health Service (PHS). ** These
recommendations, along with information concerning the
current
local and regional status of animal rabies and the
availability of
human rabies biologics, are available from state health
departments.
Domestic Animals. Local governments should initiate and
maintain effective programs to ensure vaccination of all
dogs,
cats, and ferrets and to remove strays and unwanted animals.
Such
procedures in the United States have reduced
laboratory-confirmed
rabies cases in dogs from 6,949 in 1947 to 111 in 1996.
Because
more rabies cases are reported annually involving cats than
dogs,
vaccination of cats should be required. The recommended
vaccination procedures and the licensed animal vaccines are
specified in Parts I and II of the Compendium.
Rabies in Wildlife. The control of rabies among wildlife
reservoirs is difficult. Vaccination of free-ranging wildlife
or
selective population reduction may be useful in some
situations,
but the success of such procedures depends on the
circumstances
surrounding each rabies outbreak (See C. Control Methods in
Wildlife).
Control Methods in Domestic and Confined Animals
Preexposure Vaccination and Management. Parenteral animal
rabies vaccines should be administered only by, or under the
direct supervision of, a veterinarian. This is the only way
to
ensure that a responsible person can be held accountable to
assure
the public that the animal has been properly vaccinated.
Within 1
month after primary vaccination, a peak rabies antibody titer
is
reached and the animal can be considered immunized. An animal
is
currently vaccinated and is considered immunized if it was
vaccinated at least 30 days previously and if all
vaccinations
have been administered in accordance with this Compendium.
Regardless of the age of the animal at initial vaccination, a
second vaccination should be given 1 year later (See Parts I
and
II for recommended vaccines and procedures).
Dogs, cats, and ferrets. All dogs, cats, and ferrets
should be vaccinated against rabies at 3 months of age and
revaccinated in accordance with Part II of this
Compendium. If a
previously vaccinated animal is overdue for a booster, it
should
be revaccinated with a single dose of vaccine and placed
on an
annual or triennial schedule, depending on the type of
vaccine
used.
Livestock. Vaccinating all livestock against rabies is
neither economically feasible nor justified from a public
health
standpoint. However, consideration should be given to
vaccination
of livestock that are particularly valuable and/or may
have
frequent contact with humans.
Other Animals.
Wild. No parenteral rabies vaccine is licensed for use
in
wild animals. Because of the risk of rabies in wild
animals
(especially raccoons, skunks, coyotes, foxes, and
bats), the
AVMA, the NASPHV, and the CSTE strongly recommend the
enactment
of state laws prohibiting the importation,
distribution,
relocation, or keeping of wild animals or hybrids as
pets.
Maintained in Exhibits and in Zoological Parks. Captive
animals not completely excluded from contact with
rabies vectors
can become infected. Moreover, wild animals may be
incubating
rabies when initially captured; therefore, wild-caught
animals
susceptible to rabies should be quarantined for a
minimum of 180
days before being exhibited or otherwise having contact
with
other animals or the public. Employees who work with
animals
at such facilities should receive preexposure rabies
immunization. The use of pre- or postexposure rabies
immunizations of employees who work with animals at
such
facilities may reduce the need for euthanasia
of captive animals.
Stray Animals. Stray dogs, cats, or ferrets should be removed
from the community. Local health departments and animal
control
officials can enforce the removal of strays more effectively
if
owned animals are confined or kept on leash. Strays should be
impounded for at least 3 days to give owners sufficient time
to
reclaim animals and to determine if human exposure has
occurred.
Quarantine
International. CDC regulates the importation of dogs and
cats into the United States, but current PHS regulations
(42 CFR
No. 71.51) governing the importation of such animals are
insufficient to prevent the introduction of rabid animals
into the
country. All dogs and cats imported from countries with
endemic
rabies should be currently vaccinated against rabies as
recommended in this Compendium. The person who is
importing any
unvaccinated dog or cat should notify the appropriate
public
health official of the state of destination within 72
hours of
importation. The conditional admission of such animals
into the
United States is subject to state and local laws governing
rabies.
Failure to comply with these requirements should be
promptly
reported to the Division of Quarantine, CDC, (404)
639-8107.
Interstate. Prior to interstate movement, dogs, cats, and
ferrets should be currently vaccinated against rabies in
accordance with the Compendium's recommendations (See B.1.
Preexposure Vaccination and Management). Animals in
transit should
be accompanied by a currently valid NASPHV Form #51,
Rabies
Vaccination Certificate.
Adjunct Procedures. Methods or procedures that enhance rabies
control include the following:
Licensure. Registration or licensure of all dogs, cats,
and ferrets may be used to aid in rabies control. A fee
is
frequently charged for such licensure, and revenues
collected
are used to maintain rabies- or animal-control
programs.
Vaccination is an essential prerequisite to licensure.
Canvassing of Area. House-to-house canvassing by
animal-control personnel facilitates enforcement of
vaccination
and licensure requirements.
Citations. Citations are legal summonses issued to
owners
for violations, including the failure to vaccinate or
license
their animals. The authority for officers to issue
citations
should be an integral part of each animal-control
program.
Animal Control. All communities should incorporate
stray
animal control, leash laws, and training of personnel
in their
programs.
Postexposure Management. Any animal bitten or scratched by a
wild, carnivorous mammal or a bat that is not available for
testing should be regarded as having been exposed to rabies.
Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets. Unvaccinated dogs, cats, and
ferrets exposed to a rabid animal should be euthanized
immediately. If the owner is unwilling to have this done,
the
animal should be placed in strict isolation for 6 months
and
vaccinated 1 month before being released. Animals with
expired
vaccinations need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Dogs,
cats, and ferrets that are currently vaccinated should be
revaccinated immediately, kept under the owner's control,
and
observed for 45 days.
Livestock. All species of livestock are susceptible to
rabies; cattle and horses are among those most frequently
infected. Livestock exposed to a rabid animal and
currently
vaccinated with a vaccine approved by USDA for that
species should
be revaccinated immediately and observed for 45 days.
Unvaccinated
livestock should be slaughtered immediately. If the owner
is
unwilling to have this done, the animal should be kept
under close
observation for 6 months. The following are
recommendations for
owners of unvaccinated livestock exposed to rabid animals:
If the animal is slaughtered within 7 days of being
bitten, its tissues may be eaten without risk of
infection,
provided liberal portions of the exposed area are
discarded.
Federal meat inspectors must reject for slaughter any
animal
known to have been exposed to rabies within 8 months.
Neither tissues nor milk from a rabid animal should be
used for human or animal consumption. However, because
pasteurization temperatures will inactivate rabies
virus,
drinking pasteurized milk or eating cooked meat does
not
constitute a rabies exposure.
Having more than one rabid animal in a herd or having
herbivore-to-herbivore transmission is rare; therefore,
restricting the rest of the herd if a single animal has
been
exposed to or infected by rabies may not be necessary.
c. Other Animals. Other animals bitten by a rabid
animal
should be euthanized immediately. Animals maintained
in
USDA-licensed research facilities or accredited
zoological
parks should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Management of Animals That Bite Humans. A healthy dog, cat,
or
ferret that bites a person should be confined and observed
for 10
days; not administering rabies vaccine during the observation
period is recommended. Such animals should be evaluated by a
veterinarian at the first sign of illness during confinement.
Any
illness in the animal should be reported immediately to the
local
health department. If signs suggestive of rabies develop, the
animal should be euthanized, its head removed, and the head
shipped under refrigeration (not frozen) for examination of
the
brain by a qualified laboratory designated by the local or
state
health department. Any stray or unwanted dog, cat, or ferret
that
bites a person may be euthanized immediately and the head
submitted as described above for rabies examination. Animals
other
than dogs, cats, or ferrets that might have exposed a person
to
rabies should be reported immediately to the local health
department. Prior vaccination of an animal does not preclude
the
necessity for euthanasia and testing if the period of virus
shedding is unknown for that species. Management of animals
other
than dogs, cats, and ferrets depends on the species, the
circumstances of the bite, the epidemiology of rabies in the
area,
and the biting animal's history, current health status, and
potential for exposure to rabies. Postexposure management of
persons should follow the recommendations of the ACIP. **
Control Methods in Wildlife
The public should be warned not to handle wildlife. Wild mammals
and hybrids that bite or otherwise expose people, pets, or
livestock should be considered for euthanasia and rabies
examination. A person bitten by any wild mammal should
immediately
report the incident to a physician who can evaluate the need for
antirabies treatment (See current rabies prophylaxis
recommendations of the ACIP **).
Terrestrial Mammals. The use of licensed oral vaccines for
the
mass immunization of free-ranging wildlife should be
considered in
selected situations, with the approval of the state agency
responsible for animal rabies control. Continuous and
persistent
government-funded programs for trapping or poisoning wildlife
are
not cost effective in reducing wildlife rabies reservoirs on
a
statewide basis. However, limited control in high-contact
areas
(e.g., picnic grounds, camps, or suburban areas) may be
indicated
for the removal of selected high-risk species of wildlife.
The
state wildlife agency and state health department should be
consulted for coordination of any proposed vaccination or
population-reduction programs.
Bats. Indigenous rabid bats have been reported from every
state
except Hawaii and have caused rabies in at least 28 humans in
the
United States. However, controlling rabies in bats by
programs to
reduce their populations is neither feasible nor desirable.
Bats
should be excluded from houses and adjacent structures to
prevent
direct association with humans. Such structures should then
be
made bat-proof by sealing entrances used by bats. Persons
with
frequent bat contact should be immunized against rabies as
recommended by the ACIP. **
The NASPHV COMMITTEE: Suzanne R. Jenkins, VMD, MPH, Chair;
Michael Auslander, DVM, MSPH; Robert H. Johnson, DVM; Mira J.
Leslie, DVM; Grayson B. Miller, Jr., MD; F. T. Satalowich, DVM,
MSPH; Faye E. Sorhage, VMD, MPH. CONSULTANTS TO THE COMMITTEE:
Deborah J. Briggs, PhD; James E. Childs, ScD (Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention {CDC}); David W. Dreesen, DVM, MPVM;
William L. Ingalls, DVM, MS (AVMA {American Veterinary Medical
Association} Council on Public Health and Regulatory Veterinary
Medicine); Jim McCord, DVM (Animal Health Institute); Robert B.
Miller, DVM, MPH (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,
USDA); Charles E. Rupprecht, VMD, PhD (CDC); Charles V. Trimarchi,
MS. ENDORSED BY: AVMA and the Council of State and Territorial
Epidemiologists (CSTE).
Address all correspondence to Suzanne R. Jenkins, VMD, MPH,
Virginia Department of Health, Office of Epidemiology, P.O. Box
2448, Room 113, Richmond, VA 23218.
** Centers for Disease Control. Rabies Prevention United States,
1991. MMWR 1991;40(No. RR-3)1 19.
Table_1 Note:
To print large tables and graphs users may have to change their printer settings to landscape and use a small font size.
Part II: Vaccines Marketed in the United States and NASPHV* Recommendations
===========================================================================================================================================================================
Product name Produced by Marketed by For use in Dosage Age at Booster recommended Route of
(mL) primary inoculation
vaccination+
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A) INACTIVATED
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRIMUNE Fort Dodge Animal Fort Dodge Animal Dogs 1 3 mos & Triennially IM&
Health License No. 112 Health Cats 1 1 yr later Triennially IM
ANNUMUNE Fort Dodge Animal Fort Dodge Animal Dogs 1 3 mos Annually IM
Health License No. 112 Health Cats 1 3 mos Annually IM
DURA-RAB 1 ImmunoMed License No. ImmunoMed,Vedco,Inc. Dogs 1 3 mos Annually IM
421 Cats 1 3 mos Annually IM
DURA-RAB 3 ImmunoMed License No. ImmunoMed,Vedco,Inc. Dogs 1 3 mos & Triennially IM
421 Cats 1 1 yr later Triennially IM
RABCINE-3 ImmunoMed License No. Pfizer,Inc. Dogs 1 3 mos & Triennially IM
421 Cats 1 1 yr later Triennially IM
CHAMPION ImmunoMed AgriLaboratories Dogs 1 3 mos & Triennially IM
PROTECTOR RABIES 3 License No. 421 Cats 1 1 yr later Triennially IM
ENDURALL-P Pfizer,Inc. License No. Pfizer,Inc. Dogs 1 3 mos Annually IM or SC@
189 Cats 1 3 mos Annually SC
RABGUARD-TC Pfizer,Inc. License No. Pfizer,Inc. Dogs 1 3 mos & Triennially IM
189 Cats 1 1 yr later Triennially IM
Sheep 1 3 mos Annually IM
Cattle 1 3 mos Annually IM
Horses 1 3 mos Annually IM
DEFENSOR Pfizer,Inc. License No. Pfizer,Inc. Dogs 1 3 mos & Triennially IM or SC
189 Cats 1 1 yr later Triennially SC
Sheep 2 3 mos Annually IM
Cattle 2 3 mos Annually IM
RABDOMUN Pfizer,Inc. License No. Schering-Plough Dogs 1 3 mos & Triennially IM or SC
189 Cats 1 1 yr later Triennially SC
Sheep 2 3 mos Annually IM
Cattle 2 3 mos Annually IM
RABDOMUN 1 Pfizer,Inc. License No. Schering-Plough Dogs 1 3 mos Annually IM or SC
189 Cats 1 3 mos Annually SC
SENTRYRAB-1 Pfizer,Inc. License No. Synbiotics Corp. Dogs 1 3 mos Annually IM
189 Cats 1 3 mos Annually IM
RABVAC 1 Fort Dodge Animal Fort Dodge Animal Dogs 1 3 mos Annually IM or SC
Health License No. 112 Health Cats 1 3 mos Annually IM or SC
RABVAC 3 Fort Dodge Animal Fort Dodge Animal Dogs 1 3 mos & Triennially IM or SC
Health License No. 112 Health Cats 1 1 yr later Triennially IM or SC
Horses 2 3 mos Annually IM
PRORAB-1 Intervet Inc. License Intervet, Inc. Dogs 1 3 mos Annually IM or SC
No. 286 Cats 1 3 mos Annually IM or SC
Sheep 2 3 mos Annually IM
PRORAB-3F Intervet Inc. License Intervet, Inc. Cats 1 3 mos & Triennially IM or SC
No. 286 1 yr later
RM IMRAB 3 Rhone Merieux Merial, Inc. Dogs 1 3 mos & Triennially IM or SC
Inc. License No. 298 Cats 1 1 yr later Triennially IM or SC
Sheep 2 3 mos & Triennially IM or SC
Cattle 2 1 yr later Annually IM or SC
Horses 2 3 mos Annually IM or SC
Ferrets 1 3 mos Annually SC
3 mos
RM IMRAB 1 BOVINE Rhone Merieux Inc. Merial, Inc. Cattle 2 3 mos Annually IM or SC
PLUS License No. 298 Horses 2 3 mos Annually IM or SC
Sheep 2 3 mos & Triennially IM or SC
1 yr later
RM IMRAB 1 Rhone Merieux Inc. Merial, Inc. Dogs 1 3 mos Annually IM or SC
License No. 298 Cats 1 3 mos Annually IM or SC
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B) COMBINATION (inactivated rabies)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECLIPSE 3 + FeLV/R Fort Dodge Animal Schering-Plough Cats 1 3 mos Annually IM or SC
Health License No. 112
ECLIPSE 4 + FeLV/R Fort Dodge Animal Schering-Plough Cats 1 3 mos Annually IM or SC
Health License No. 112
Fel-O-Guart 3 + Fort Dodge Animal Fort Dodge Animal Cats 1 3 mos Annually IM or SC
FeLV/R Health License No. 112 Health
Fel-O-Guart 4 + Fort Dodge Animal Fort Dodge Animal Cats 1 3 mos Annually IM or SC
FeLV/R Health License No. 112 Health
FEL-O-VAX PCT-R Fort Dodge Animal Fort Dodge Animal Cats 1 3 mos & Triennially IM
Health License No. 112 Health 1 yr later
RM FELINE 4 + IMRAB Rhone Merieux Inc. Merial, Inc. Cats 1 3 mos & Triennially SC
License No. 298 1 yr later
RM FELINE 3 + IMRAB Rhone Merieux Inc. Merial, Inc. Cats 1 3 mos & Triennially SC
License No. 298 1 yr later
RM EQUINE POTOMAVAC+ Rhone Merieux Inc. Merial, Inc. Horses 1 3 mos Annually IM
IMRAB License No. 298
MYSTIQUE II Bayer Corp. License No. Bayer Corp. Horses 1 3 mos Annually IM
52
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C) ORAL (rabies glycoprotein, live vaccinia vector) - RESTRICTED TO USE IN STATE AND FEDERAL RABIES CONTROL PROGRAMS
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Raboral Rhone Merieux Merial, Inc. Raccoons N/A N/A To be determined N/A
Inc. License No. 298
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* National Association of State Publis Health Veterinarians, Inc.
+ >=3 months of age and revaccinated 1 year later.
& Intramuscularly.
@ Subcutaneously.
===========================================================================================================================================================================
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