Rabies back in Britain

Published on Saturday 26 April 2008 02:19

THREE people have been bitten by a quarantined puppy infected with rabies, it was confirmed last night.

The dog was in quarantine after being brought into the country from Sri Lanka. It died on Thursday, officials said.

The people bitten were at the quarantine centre, understood to be in Essex, where it was being held and are receiving medical treatment.

Although the disease is potentially deadly, treatment can be highly effective and the chances of those bitten becoming seriously ill are slight, experts said.

Dr Dilys Morgan, a rabies expert from the Health Protection Agency, said last night: "This animal died while in quarantine, which has effectively contained any public health risk.

"We understand that three individuals connected to the quarantine centre and rescue centre were bitten by the animal and all have received or will be receiving prompt protective treatment with appropriate vaccination.

"Even if someone has been bitten by an animal with rabies, prompt post-exposure treatment following the bite is highly effective in preventing rabies."

Rabies is an infection of the nervous system, caused by a virus which is usually transmitted by a bite from an infected animal, usually dogs.

Without treatment, it is nearly always fatal. It causes spasms, fear of water, madness and paralysis. Symptoms usually start two to eight weeks after being bitten.

Animals that may have come into contact with the puppy are being checked, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said. It stressed that the likelihood of further infections was low.

The dog had been held in licensed quarantine premises since 18 April.

Defra said the UK remained "free of rabies" because the case had occurred in quarantine. There had been no reported cases in the UK for over 100 years, until 2002 when a man died of rabies in Scotland after been bitten by a bat.

David McRae, 56, a conservationist from Guthrie, Angus, died from European bat lyssavirus (EBL), a type of rabies found in several northern European countries.

After initial tests showed up a strain of rabies, a full investigation is now under way.

Alick Simmons, the acting Chief Veterinary Officer, said: "While initial tests show that this puppy has tested positive for rabies, this shows that the system is working and the case has been picked up while the animal is in quarantine. This means it is contained and the UK's rabies-free status remains in place.

"We are now tracing animals that have moved from the kennels to ensure that all animals that have come into contact with the puppy are monitored.

"However, any risk of the disease having spread to other animals is highly unlikely."

Officials have not confirmed the location of the incident but Iain Duncan Smith, the Tory MP, said he had been informed it was in his Chingford and Woodford Green constituency.

He received a call yesterday evening from the environment minister Lord (Jeff) Rooker.

The former Conservative leader said: "Naturally, I am very concerned about the welfare of the staff who have been affected. I was assured by the minister that the situation is under control."

But he described it as "disturbing and worrying".

Rabies is very common in south-east Asia and other developing countries and is present in most of the rest of the world. The World Health Organisation has estimated the annual number of human rabies deaths to be between 40,000 and as high as 70,000.

Foxes are the main carriers of the disease but dogs, cats, cattle, horses, badgers, deer, racoons, bats and skunks can be affected.

Patients exposed to rabies are usually given three doses of vaccine over 28 days. The vaccine stimulates the body to make antibodies against the rabies virus.