Compendium of Animal Rabies Control, 1999 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. Immunization procedure recommendations 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.
B. Vaccine Selection
In comprehensive rabies-control programs, only vaccines with
a 3-year duration of immunity should be used. This constitutes the
most effective method of increasing the proportion of immunized
dogs and cats in any population (See Part II).
C. 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 at one site in
the thigh.
D. Vaccination of Wildlife and Hybrid Animals
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 such vaccine is licensed
for these animals. Zoos or research institutions may establish
vaccination programs that attempt to protect valuable animals, but
these should not replace appropriate public health activities that
protect humans.
E. Accidental Human Exposure to Vaccine
Accidental inoculation may occur during administration of
animal rabies vaccine. Such exposure to inactivated vaccines
constitutes no rabies hazard.
F. 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
-------------------------------------------------------------------
1999 Green Bell
2000 Red Heart
2001 Blue Rosette
2002 Orange Oval
-------------------------------------------------------------------
2. 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: Rabies Vaccines Licensed in the United States and NASPHV *
Recommendations, 1999 (Table_1)
Part III: Rabies Control
Principles of Rabies Control
Rabies Exposure. Rabies is transmitted only when the virus is
introduced into bite wounds, open cuts in skin, or onto mucous
membranes.
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 of their administration can be found in the current
recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices
(ACIP).* 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 cases in
dogs from 6,949 in 1947 to 126 in 1997. Because more rabies
cases
are reported annually involving cats (300 in 1997) 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 Part III.C. Control
Methods
in Wildlife).
B. 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 for rabies in wild animals
(especially
raccoons, skunks, coyotes, foxes, and bats), the NASPHV,
the
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and the
Council of
State and Territorial Epidemiologists (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 all 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. Employees who work with animals at such
facilities
should receive preexposure rabies immunization. The use of
pre- or
postexposure rabies immunizations for 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 determine if human exposure has
occurred and to give owners sufficient time to reclaim animals.
Importation and Interstate Movement of Animals.
International. CDC regulates the importation of dogs and cats
into the United States, but current Public Health Service
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 appropriate public
health
official of the state of destination should be notified
within 72
hours of any unvaccinated dog or cat imported into his or her
jurisdiction. 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 Part III.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 potentially exposed to
rabies virus (See Part III.A.1. Rabies Exposure) 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 the 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.
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. Other animals 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.*
C. Control Methods in Wildlife
The public should be warned not to handle wildlife. Wild
mammals and hybrids that bite or otherwise expose persons, 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 32 humans in
the
United States. However, controlling rabies in bats by programs
to
reduce bat 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; F. T. Satalowich, DVM, MSPH; Faye E. Sorhage, VMD,
MPH. CONSULTANTS TO THE COMMITTEE: Deborah J. Briggs, PhD, Kansas
State University Rabies Laboratory; James E. Childs, ScD, Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention; Mary Currier, MD, MPH, Council
of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE); David W. Dreesen,
DVM, MPVM, private consultant; Nancy Frank, DVM, MPH, American
Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) 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, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA);
Charles E. Rupprecht, VMD, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention; Charles V. Trimarchi, MS, New York State Rabies
Laboratory. ENDORSED BY: AVMA and 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.
CDC. Human rabies prevention -- United States, 1999:
recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
(ACIP). MMWR 1999;48(No. RR-1):1-21.
CDC. Human rabies prevention -- United States, 1999:
recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
(ACIP). MMWR 1999;48(No. RR-1):1-21.
CDC. Human rabies prevention -- United States, 1999:
recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
(ACIP). MMWR 1999;48(No. RR-1):1-21.
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: Rabies Vaccines Licensed in the United States and NASPHV* Recommendations, 1999
===========================================================================================================================================================================
For use Dosage Age at primary Booster Route of
Product name Produced by Marketed by in (mL) vaccination+ recommended inoculation
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A) MONOVALENT (Inactivated)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRIMUNE Fort Dodge Animal Fort Dodge Animal Health Dogs 1 3 mos & Triennially IM&
Health License No. 112 Cats 1 1 yr later Triennially IM
ANNUMUNE Fort Dodge Animal Fort Dodge Animal Health Dogs 1 3 mos Annually IM
Health License No. 112 Cats 1 3 mos Annually IM
DEFENSOR 1 Pfizer,Inc. License No. Pfizer,Inc. Dogs 1 3 mos Annually IM or SC@
189 Cats 1 3 mos Annually SC
DEFENSOR 3 Pfizer,Incorporated Pfizer,Incorporated Dogs 1 3 mos & 1 yr later Triennally IM or SC
License No. 189 Cats 1 3 mos & 1 yr later Triennally 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 IM or SC
RABVAC 1 Fort Dodge Animal Fort Dodge Animal Health Dogs 1 3 mos Annually IM or SC
Health License No. 112 Cats 1 3 mos Annually IM or SC
RABVAC 3 Fort Dodge Animal Fort Dodge Animal Health Dogs 1 3 mos & Triennially IM or SC
Health License No. 112 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
IMRAB 3 Merial,Inc.** License Merial,Inc. Dogs 1 3 mos & Triennially IM or SC
No. 298 Cats 1 1 yr later Triennially IM or SC
Sheep 2 3 mos & 1 yr later Triennially IM or SC
Cattle 2 3 mos Annually IM or SC
Horses 2 3 mos Annually IM or SC
Ferrets 1 3 mos Annually SC
IMRAB BOVINE PLUS Merial,Inc. License No. Merial,Inc. Cattle 2 3 mos Annually IM or SC
298 Horses 2 3 mos Annually IM or SC
Sheep 2 3 mos & 1 yr later Triennially IM or SC
IMRAB 1 Merial,Inc. License No. Merial,Inc. Dogs 1 3 mos Annually IM or SC
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-Guard 3 + FeLV/R Fort Dodge Animal Fort Dodge Animal Health Cats 1 3 mos Annually IM or SC
Health License No. 112
Fel-O-Guard 4 + FeLV/R Fort Dodge Animal Fort Dodge Animal Health Cats 1 3 mos Annually IM or SC
Health License No. 112
FEL-O-Vax PCT-R Fort Dodge Animal Fort Dodge Animal Health Cats 1 3 mos & Triennially IM
Health License No. 112 1 yr later
FELINE 4 + IMRAB Merial Inc.** License Merial,Inc. Cats 1 3 mos & Triennially SC
No. 298 1 yr later
FELINE 3 + IMRAB Merial,Inc. License No. Merial,Inc. Cats 1 3 mos & Triennially SC
298 1 yr later
Purevax Feline 4/ Rabies Merial,Inc. License No. Merial,Inc. Cats 1 8 wks & Annually SC
+ Leucat 298 1 yr later
Purevax Feline 4/ Rabies Merial,Inc. License No. Merial,Inc. Cats 1 8 wks & Annually SC
298 1 yr later
Purevax Feline 3/ Rabies Merial,Inc. License No. Merial,Inc. Cats 1 8 wks & Annually SC
+ Leucat 298 1 yr later
Purevax Feline 3/ Rabies Merial,Inc. License No. Merial,Inc. Cats 1 8 wks & Annually SC
298 1 yr later
Purevax Feline Rabies Merial,Inc. License No. Merial,Inc. Cats 1 8 wks & Annually SC
298 1 yr later
EQUINE POTOMAVAC+ IMRAB Merial,Inc. License No. Merial,Inc. Horses 1 3 mos Annually IM
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 V-RG Merial,Inc. License No. Merial,Inc. Raccoons N/A N/A Determined by Oral
298 state authorities
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc.
+ >=3 months of age and revaccinated 1 year later.
& Intramuscularly.@ Subcutaneously.
** Formerly Rhone Mórieux, Inc.
===========================================================================================================================================================================
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