COLUMBIA – A man who was exposed to rabies by a raccoon that attacked his pet dog in Charleston County is under the care of a physician after the raccoon tested positive for rabies, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control said today.
"One person was exposed in the James Island area of Charleston County after touching a raccoon that his dog killed," said Sue Ferguson of DHEC's Bureau of Environmental Health. "The man is receiving preventive inoculations."
According to Ferguson, anyone bitten, scratched or otherwise exposed to the saliva of a rabid animal must undergo immediate measures to stop the virus from reaching the brain. She said once the rabies virus reaches the brain, the disease is fatal to humans and animals.
"Avoid wild animals acting tame and tame animals acting wild," Ferguson said. “About 400 South Carolinians must undergo preventive treatment for rabies every year, with most exposures from being bitten or scratched by a rabid or suspected rabid animal. Wild animals carry the disease most often, but domestic pets can contract rabies as well. Therefore, to protect both the pets and their owners, we strongly encourage residents to make sure their pets are regularly vaccinated against the disease. State law requires that all pets be vaccinated against rabies.
"If you think you have been exposed to the rabies virus through a bite, scratch or the saliva of a possibly infected animal, immediately wash the affected area with plenty of soap and water," she said. "Then be sure to get medical attention and report the incident to DHEC."
There have been 10 confirmed rabid animals in Charleston County in 2008. Last year, there were 26 rabid animals (24 raccoons, one fox and one bat) confirmed in the county. In 2007, there were 162 confirmed cases of rabies in animals in South Carolina. So far this year, there have been 131 confirmed cases in animals in the state.
For more information about rabies, see DHEC's Web page at: http://www.scdhec.gov/rabies or contact DHEC's Charleston County Environmental Health office at 843-202-7020. The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web page about rabies can be found at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies.