Rabies Health Advisory Update

Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system. It is transmitted to humans through the saliva of infected animals. After the onset of symptoms, rabies is almost always fatal. Vaccinated pets are a barrier between humans and the wildlife reservoir of rabies. However, unvaccinated animals present a very high risk. Rabies is rare in Western Europe; however it is a major health risk in Eastern Europe and countries throughout Africa and Asia. DoD health officials would like to remind the U.S. military community to:

• Follow General Order #1: Don’t keep mascots when deployed.
• Avoid wild or unvaccinated animals.
• If you are bitten or if an animal’s saliva contacts your broken skin, eyes or mouth, immediately wash the area with soap and water and seek immediate medical attention.
• Report bite incidents immediately.

Who Must Receive Medical Evaluation for Treatment Now to Ensure the Health of All Personnel?

Individuals who meet the following criteria are to report for a medical evaluation as soon as possible:

• Those who had a possible animal exposure that occurred after 01 March 2010. A possible exposure is a bite or contact with the saliva of warm-blooded animals, such as dogs, cats, bats, foxes, skunks, raccoons, and jackals.
• Those who had no medical evaluation or incomplete / undocumented evaluation or post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) following an exposure incident. Individuals who are not 100-percent confident they received appropriate and completely documented care must be evaluated.

If you believe you have been exposed to rabies please call the wounded soldier and family hotline:
COM: 800-984-8523
DSN: 312-421-3700

Continue reading about rabies facts, prevention and treatment.

Schmallenberg Virus

In November 2011, scientists from the Friedrich Loeffler institute in Germany identified a new virus, provisionally named Schmallenberg virus, from infected livestock located in Germany and The Netherlands. Based on current evidence, the virus appears to cause fever, decrease milk production, and diarrhea in cattle and malformations in newborn lambs. So far, Schmallenberg virus has been only identified in the North Rhine-Westphalia and in The Netherlands. Schmallenberg virus has not been related to human disease and genetically related viruses are only found in livestock. There has been no report of unusual human illness from the regions where Schmallenberg virus has been identified.

Additional information concerning Schmallenberg Virus, can be found on the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control web site.