Utah Admin. Code R386-702-12 - Special Measures for Control of Rabies
(1) Rationale of
treatment is as follows:
A physician must evaluate individually each exposure to
possible rabies
(2) Management
of biting animals is as follows:
(a) A healthy
dog, cat, or ferret that bites a person shall be confined and observed at least
daily for ten days from the date of bite, regardless of vaccination status, as
specified by local animal control ordinances. It is recommended that rabies
vaccine not be administered during the observation period. Such animals shall
be evaluated by a veterinarian at the first sign of illness during confinement.
A veterinarian or animal control officer shall immediately report any illness
in the animal to the local health department . If signs suggestive of rabies
develop, a veterinarian or animal control officer shall direct that the animal
be euthanized, its head removed, and the head shipped under refrigeration, not
frozen, for examination of the brain by a laboratory approved by the Utah
Department of Health and Human Services.
(b) If the dog, cat, or ferret shows no signs
of rabies or illness during the ten day period, the veterinarian or animal
control officer shall direct that the unvaccinated animal be vaccinated against
rabies at the owner's expense before release to the owner. If a veterinarian is
not available, the animal may be released, but the owner shall have the animal
vaccinated within 72 hours of release. If the dog, cat, or ferret was
appropriately vaccinated against rabies before the incident, the animal may be
released from confinement after the 10-day observation period with no further
restrictions.
(c) Any stray or
unwanted dog, cat, or ferret that bites a person may be euthanized immediately
by a veterinarian or animal control officer, if permitted by local ordinance,
and the head submitted, as described in Subsection R386-702-12(2)(a), for
rabies examination. If the brain is negative by fluorescent-antibody
examination for rabies, one can assume that the saliva contained no virus, and
the person bitten need not be treated.
(d) Wild animals include raccoons, skunks,
coyotes, foxes, bats, the offspring of wild animals crossbred to domestic dogs
and cats, and any carnivorous animal other than a domestic dog, cat, or
ferret.
(e) Signs of rabies in wild
animals cannot be interpreted reliably. If a wild animal bites or scratches a
person, the person or attending medical personnel shall notify an animal
control or law enforcement officer. A veterinarian, animal control officer or
representative of the Division of Wildlife Resources shall kill the animal at
once, without unnecessary damage to the head, and submit the brain, as
described in Subsection R386-702-12(2)(a), for examination for evidence of
rabies. If the brain is negative by fluorescent-antibody examination for
rabies, one can assume that the saliva contained no virus, and the person
bitten need not be treated.
(f)
Rabbits, opossums, squirrels, chipmunks, rats, and mice are rarely infected and
their bites rarely, if ever, call for rabies prophylaxis or testing. Unusual
exposures to any animal should be reported to the local health department or
the Office of Communicable Diseases, Utah Department of Health and Human
Services.
(g) When rare, valuable,
captive wild animals maintained in zoological parks approved by the United
States Department of Agriculture or research institutions, as defined by
Section 26B-1-236, bite or scratch a
human, the Office of Communicable Diseases, Utah Department of Health and Human
Services shall be notified. Subsection R386-702-12(2)(e) may be waived by the
Office of Communicable Diseases, Utah Department of Health and Human Services
if zoological park operators or research institution managers can demonstrate
that the following rabies control measures are established:
(i) Employees who work with the animal have
received preexposure rabies immunization.
(ii) The person bitten by the animal
voluntarily agrees to accept post-exposure rabies immunization provided by the
zoological park or research facility.
(iii) The director of the zoological park or
research facility shall direct that the biting animal be held in complete
quarantine for a minimum of four months for dogs and cats, and six months for
ferrets. Quarantine requires that the animal be prohibited from direct contact
with other animals or humans.
(h) Any animal bitten or scratched by a wild,
carnivorous animal or a bat that is not available for testing shall be regarded
as having been exposed to rabies. The animal shall be placed in a strict
quarantine for four months for dogs and cats, or six months for
ferrets.
(i) For maximum protection
of the public health, unvaccinated dogs, cats, and ferrets bitten or scratched
by a confirmed or suspected rabid animal shall be euthanized immediately by a
veterinarian or animal control officer. If the owner is unwilling to have the
animal euthanized, the local health officer shall order that the animal be held
in strict isolation in a municipal or county animal shelter or a veterinary
medical facility approved by the local health department , at the owner's
expense, for at least four months for dogs and cats, and six months for
ferrets. The animal shall be vaccinated one month before being released. If any
illness suggestive of rabies develops in the animal, the veterinarian or animal
control officer shall immediately report the illness to the local health
department and the veterinarian or animal control officer shall direct that the
animal be euthanized and the head shall be handled as described in Subsection
R386-702-12(2)(a).
(j) Dogs, cats,
and ferrets that are currently vaccinated and are bitten by rabid animals,
shall be revaccinated immediately by a veterinarian and confined and observed
by the animal's owner for 45 days. If any illness suggestive of rabies develops
in the animal, the owner shall report immediately to the local health
department and the animal shall be euthanized by a veterinarian or animal
control officer and the head shall be handled as described in Subsection
R386-702-12(2)(a).
(k) Livestock
exposed to a rabid animal and currently vaccinated with a vaccine approved by
the United States Department of Agriculture for that species shall be
revaccinated immediately by a veterinarian and observed by the owner for 45
days. Unvaccinated livestock shall be slaughtered immediately. If the owner is
unwilling to have the animal slaughtered, the animal shall be kept under close
observation by the owner for six months.
(l) Unvaccinated animals other than dogs,
cats, ferrets, and livestock bitten by a confirmed or suspected rabid animal
shall be euthanized immediately by a veterinarian or animal control
officer.
(3) Testing
fees at the UPHL are as follows:
(a) Animals
being submitted to UPHL for rabies testing must follow criteria defined in The
Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control to be eligible for testing
without a fee. Testing of animals that fit this criteria will be eligible for a
waived fee for testing. Testing of animals that do not meet this criteria will
incur a testing fee as set forth by UPHL.
(b) The following situations will not incur a
rabies testing fee if testing is ordered for them through UPHL:
(i) Any bat in an instance where a person or
animal has had an exposure, or reasonable probability of exposure, including
known bat bites, exposure to bat saliva, a bat found in a room with a sleeping
person or unattended child, or a bat found near a child or mentally impaired or
intoxicated person.
(ii) Dogs,
cats, or ferrets, regardless of rabies vaccination status, if signs suggestive
of rabies are documented in them.
(iii) Wild mammals and hybrids that expose
persons, pets, or livestock, including skunks, foxes, coyotes, and raccoons,
may be tested.
(iv) Livestock may
be tested if signs suggestive of rabies are documented.
(v) DHHS Office of Communicable Diseases
staff are available to discuss additional situations that may warrant testing
at (801) 538-6191.
(c)
The following situations will incur a $95 testing fee if testing is ordered for
them through UPHL:
(i) Any dog, cat, or
ferret, with unknown or undocumented vaccination history that exposes a person,
if signs suggestive of rabies are not documented, or if the animal has not been
confined and observed for at least 10 days.
(ii) Dogs, cats, and ferrets: currently
vaccinated animals that expose a person, if signs suggestive of rabies are not
documented, or animals have not been confined and observed for at least 10
days.
(iii) Regardless of rabies
vaccination status, a healthy dog, cat, or ferret that has not exposed a
person.
(iv) Small rodents
including rats, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, voles, or moles; and lagomorphs
including rabbits and hares.
(v)
Incomplete paperwork accompanying the sample will also result in a fee for
testing; a thorough description of the situation must be included with each
sample submission.
(vi) DHHS Office
of Communicable Diseases staff are available to discuss additional situations
that may not warrant testing at (801) 538-6191.
(d) If the specimen submitter feels they are
charged inappropriately for rabies testing, they may send a letter describing
the situation and requesting a waiver for fees to the: Utah Department of
Health and Human Services, Office of Communicable Diseases, P.O. Box 142104,
Salt Lake City, UT 84114, attention: Zoonotic Diseases Epidemiologist.
Information may be submitted electronically via email to: epi@utah.gov, with a
note in the subject line "Attention: Zoonotic Diseases Epidemiologist."
(i) The specimen submitter has 30 days from
receipt of the testing fee invoice to file an appeal. The letter must include
copies of the original paperwork that was submitted, and a copy of the invoice
received, for a waiver to be considered.
(ii) DHHS and UPHL have 30 days to review
information after receipt of an appeal request to make an official decision and
notify the submitter.
(iii) DHHS
Office of Communicable Diseases staff are available to discuss questions about
testing fees and the appeal process at (801) 538-6191.
(4) Measures for standardized
rabies control practices are as follows:
(a)
Humans requiring either pre- or post-exposure rabies prophylaxis shall be
treated in accordance with the recommendations of the U.S. Public Health
Service Immunization Practices Advisory Committee, as incorporated by reference
in Subsection R386-702-18(2). A copy of the recommendations shall be made
available to licensed medical personnel, upon request to the Office of
Communicable Diseases, Utah Department of Health and Human Services.
(b) A physician or other health care provider
that administers rabies vaccine shall immediately report serious systemic
neuroparalytic or anaphylactic reactions to rabies vaccine through the Vaccine
Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).
(c) The Compendium of Animal Rabies
Prevention and Control, as incorporated by reference in Subsection
R386-702-18(5), is the reference document for animal vaccine use.
(d) A county, city, town, or other political
subdivision that requires licensure of animals shall also require rabies
vaccination as a prerequisite to obtaining a license.
(e) Animal rabies vaccinations are valid only
if performed by or under the direction of a licensed veterinarian in accordance
with The Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control.
(f) Agencies and veterinarians administering
vaccine shall document each vaccination on the National Association of State
Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) form number 51, Rabies Vaccination
Certificate, that can be obtained from vaccine manufacturers. The agency or
veterinarian shall provide a copy of the report to the animal's owner.
Computer-generated forms containing the same information are also
acceptable.
(g) Animal rabies
vaccines may be sold or otherwise provided only to licensed veterinarians or
veterinary biologic supply firms. Animal rabies vaccine may be purchased by the
Utah Department of Health and Human Services and the Utah Department of
Agriculture and Food.
(5) Measures to prevent or control rabies
outbreaks are as follows:
(a) The most
important single factor in preventing human rabies is the maintenance of high
levels of immunity in the pet dog, cat, and ferret populations through
vaccination. Vaccination requirements include:
(i) any dog, cat, and ferret in Utah should
be immunized against rabies by a licensed veterinarian; and
(ii) local governments should establish
effective programs to ensure vaccination of any dogs, cats, and ferrets and to
remove strays and unwanted animals.
(b) If the Utah Department of Health and
Human Services determines that a rabies outbreak is present in an area of the
state, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services may require that:
(i) any dog, cat, and ferret in that area and
adjacent areas be vaccinated or revaccinated against rabies as appropriate for
each animal's age;
(ii) any such
animal be kept under the control of its owner at all times until the Utah
Department of Health and Human Services declares the outbreak to be
resolved;
(iii) an owner who does
not have an animal vaccinated or revaccinated surrender the animal for
confinement and possible destruction; and
(iv) such animals found at-large be confined
and possibly destroyed.
Notes
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