How it spreads and how to protect yourself

A 21-year-old Canadian recently died of rabies – a disease that kills an estimated 59,000 people a year on the international scene, but has not infected anyone in Canada since 2007.

Nick Major, of Parksville, BC, had a small puncture injury after a bat flew into his hand during the day on the west coast of the island. Vancouver. He developed the symptoms of rabies six weeks later.

Should we be concerned about rabies? Yes. This is an almost always fatal infection caused by a widespread virus in wildlife in Canada and around the world.

Should we be more worried about rabies than today before Major's death? No. Although tragic – both because of the fatal outcome and the fact that it could have been avoided – the situation does not indicate any change in the risk of rabies in Canada.

Raccoons, foxes, skunks and bats

Rabies is a viral infection caused by the rabies virus, which circulates in different "reservoir species".

Raccoons, foxes, skunks and bats are all hosts of specific variants of the rabies virus. However, while these variants of the rabies virus circulate better in the host species, they can be transmitted to other species.

There is no variant of the human rabies virus, but humans can be infected with any rabies virus.

Internationally, it is estimated that rabies kills an estimated 59,000 people each year, almost all of them in developing countries of Africa and Asia, and almost all caused by dogs in regions where the canine rabies virus is present.

Canine rabies virus was eradicated in Canada many years ago (although dogs can still get rabies from other species), leaving wildlife as a source of infection. The distribution of rabies virus among different wildlife species varies from country to country, ranging from the significant return of raccoon rabies in Hamilton, Ontario, to the national spread of the rabies variant. of the bat.

Almost all Canadians are at risk of rabies exposure, albeit exceptionally low, given the distribution of this virus in wildlife.

With treatment, rabies is preventable

The rabies virus is transmitted from an infected animal to a person through saliva, almost always by a bite.

Rabies deaths in Canada point to a break in the areas of education, communication, and health care because exposure sources are well understood and rabies is almost completely preventable.

If people know how rabies is transmitted, report bites to public health staff and undergo post-exposure treatment, the risk of rabies is virtually nil.

As with many infectious diseases, science and medicine are easy. We know how to completely prevent rabies. However, like the recent BC case highlights, outages can occur. It is the human element that creates the risk.

In the tragic BC case of rabies, there was nothing new or surprising, just a lack of understanding of the risk of rabies. This is partly because the success of rabies control in Canada means that the public is less interested and more aware.

The risk of rabies for Canadians stems as much from complacency and lack of education as from wildlife.

What to do if a wild animal stings you

The recent case of rabies highlights some important facts. Rabies is present in Canada and will probably still be. Although we can control rabies in some animal populations, its eradication in bats is virtually impossible. As a result, we must learn to live with a risk of ever-present exposure.

If you're bitten by a wild animal, here's what you should do:

1. Wash the wound with soap and running water.

2. Identify the animal, if possible, so that it can be quarantined or tested.

3. Seek medical attention.

4. Make sure your local public health office has been contacted or contact them yourself. They will coordinate observation of the biting animal (where possible) and arrange for post-exposure treatment, if necessary.

If something positive can come out of this unfortunate incident, it will be to raise awareness of the risk of rabies and the reduction of this risk. Basic awareness is sometimes all that is needed to save a life.