Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on October 6, 2017 - Published by group.bmj.com
News & Reports RABIES
Public sector vets concerned about rabies threat to western Europe a medium risk, another 37 per cent said it was low, and the remaining 3 per cent deemed it negligible. Speaking at the conference, University of Surrey veterinary virology lecturer Dan Horton, warned there will always be the potential for sporadic incursions of wildlife rabies or imported cases in pets in western Europe, at least until the disease is controlled in neighbouring areas. He thought the risk was low for the UK, but still possible. ‘The chances of a dog coming in [to the UK] that might be incubating rabies is there. It’s not negligible because we know it could potentially happen.’ Horton said the UK threat level was minimised due to the level of care shown by vets. ‘If vets in the country had no knowledge of rabies and couldn’t care about it, then the risk is high. ‘But because you exist, because the infrastructure we have is really excellent,
How to spot rabies Early clinical signs of rabies include: ● Behaviour changes - friendly animals may become cautious, shy animals may become bold ● In dogs, a tendency to excessively seek attention and lick owners ● Hypersensitivity to noise or light If you suspect rabies, you must inform the APHA immediately. Source: APHA
Picture: Shutterstock/Chere
THE prospect of rabies re-entering western Europe is a distinct possibility, according to a poll of public sector vets. Of the 44 vets who participated in a poll at last week’s Official Veterinarian conference in Swindon, some 56 per cent thought there was either a high (42 per cent), or very high (14 per cent) chance of rabies re-entering the region. A further 27 per cent classed the threat as medium, 15 per cent as low and only 2 per cent thought the risk was negligible. Currently western Europe is considered a ‘no risk area’ for rabies by Public Health England. Several eastern European countries, however, are deemed high rabies animal risk, including Belarus, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania and the Russian Federation. Western Europe has suffered from bouts of rabies in the past, as outlined in the World Organisation for Animal Health’s Historical Perspective of Rabies in Europe and the Mediterranean Basin publication in 2004. An example of this can be seen by the wave of fox rabies which covered most of the region after the second world war. Poll participants were slightly more optimistic when considering the threat of rabies re-introduction to the UK, with just 23 per cent of 70 respondents stating the risk was either high (22 per cent) or very high (1 per cent). Thirty-seven per cent said it was
the consequence of a dog like that causing problems is pretty low.’ BVA senior vice president Gudrun Ravetz said the UK’s good animal health status, required a continuing commitment to effective veterinary surveillance, comprehensive preparedness, and sophisticated and scalable responses to incidents and incursions. ‘Diseases do not respect borders, which is why it is imperative that we retain existing animal health legislation and maintain resources for veterinary surveillance to ensure no dilution of existing animal health standards and protections post-Brexit.’ An APHA spokesperson told Veterinary Record that the risk of a dog with rabies coming into the UK is very low and the risk of rabies being passed from a pet to a person is lower still. ● September 28 marked World Rabies Day – a day of action and awareness for rabies prevention. Created and co-ordinated annually by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, World Rabies Day focuses on rabies endemic countries and raises the profile of national and local control programmes. doi: 10.1136/vr.j4508
September 30, 2017 | Veterinary Record | 333
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on October 6, 2017 - Published by group.bmj.com
Public sector vets concerned about rabies threat to western Europe Veterinary Record 2017 181: 333
doi: 10.1136/vr.j4508 Updated information and services can be found at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/181/13/333
These include:
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To request permissions go to: http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions To order reprints go to: http://journals.bmj.com/cgi/reprintform To subscribe to BMJ go to: http://group.bmj.com/subscribe/
News & Reports RABIES
Public sector vets concerned about rabies threat to western Europe a medium risk, another 37 per cent said it was low, and the remaining 3 per cent deemed it negligible. Speaking at the conference, University of Surrey veterinary virology lecturer Dan Horton, warned there will always be the potential for sporadic incursions of wildlife rabies or imported cases in pets in western Europe, at least until the disease is controlled in neighbouring areas. He thought the risk was low for the UK, but still possible. ‘The chances of a dog coming in [to the UK] that might be incubating rabies is there. It’s not negligible because we know it could potentially happen.’ Horton said the UK threat level was minimised due to the level of care shown by vets. ‘If vets in the country had no knowledge of rabies and couldn’t care about it, then the risk is high. ‘But because you exist, because the infrastructure we have is really excellent,
How to spot rabies Early clinical signs of rabies include: ● Behaviour changes - friendly animals may become cautious, shy animals may become bold ● In dogs, a tendency to excessively seek attention and lick owners ● Hypersensitivity to noise or light If you suspect rabies, you must inform the APHA immediately. Source: APHA
Picture: Shutterstock/Chere
THE prospect of rabies re-entering western Europe is a distinct possibility, according to a poll of public sector vets. Of the 44 vets who participated in a poll at last week’s Official Veterinarian conference in Swindon, some 56 per cent thought there was either a high (42 per cent), or very high (14 per cent) chance of rabies re-entering the region. A further 27 per cent classed the threat as medium, 15 per cent as low and only 2 per cent thought the risk was negligible. Currently western Europe is considered a ‘no risk area’ for rabies by Public Health England. Several eastern European countries, however, are deemed high rabies animal risk, including Belarus, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania and the Russian Federation. Western Europe has suffered from bouts of rabies in the past, as outlined in the World Organisation for Animal Health’s Historical Perspective of Rabies in Europe and the Mediterranean Basin publication in 2004. An example of this can be seen by the wave of fox rabies which covered most of the region after the second world war. Poll participants were slightly more optimistic when considering the threat of rabies re-introduction to the UK, with just 23 per cent of 70 respondents stating the risk was either high (22 per cent) or very high (1 per cent). Thirty-seven per cent said it was
the consequence of a dog like that causing problems is pretty low.’ BVA senior vice president Gudrun Ravetz said the UK’s good animal health status, required a continuing commitment to effective veterinary surveillance, comprehensive preparedness, and sophisticated and scalable responses to incidents and incursions. ‘Diseases do not respect borders, which is why it is imperative that we retain existing animal health legislation and maintain resources for veterinary surveillance to ensure no dilution of existing animal health standards and protections post-Brexit.’ An APHA spokesperson told Veterinary Record that the risk of a dog with rabies coming into the UK is very low and the risk of rabies being passed from a pet to a person is lower still. ● September 28 marked World Rabies Day – a day of action and awareness for rabies prevention. Created and co-ordinated annually by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, World Rabies Day focuses on rabies endemic countries and raises the profile of national and local control programmes. doi: 10.1136/vr.j4508
September 30, 2017 | Veterinary Record | 333
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on October 6, 2017 - Published by group.bmj.com
Public sector vets concerned about rabies threat to western Europe Veterinary Record 2017 181: 333
doi: 10.1136/vr.j4508 Updated information and services can be found at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/181/13/333
These include:
Email alerting service
Receive free email alerts when new articles cite this article. Sign up in the box at the top right corner of the online article.
Notes
To request permissions go to: http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions To order reprints go to: http://journals.bmj.com/cgi/reprintform To subscribe to BMJ go to: http://group.bmj.com/subscribe/
