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Project No.4-419-0381 August 29,2019 Page No.20 3.3.8.7 Rabies Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system of warm-blooded animals (mammals). Once symptoms appear, rabies is almost always fatal. All animals that get the rabies disease die.If left untreated,rabies is fatal to humans. Rabies is spread from an infected animal to another animal or person by saliva. This could happen through biting, contact with an open wound, or contact with a mucus membrane (mouth,nasal cavity, eyes). The rabies virus moves from its entry point to the central nervous system by multiplying inside nerve cells. Rabies quickly multiplies once it reaches the brain. The resulting brain damage brings on the clinical signs of the disease. The virus then moves out to the salivary glands and other parts of the body. Animals can be infectious for days before showing any clinical signs of the disease. Any mammal can carry rabies, but wild animals carry the highest risk of being rabid. Skunks, raccoons, foxes,and bats are the most common carriers.Beavers,rabbits,chipmunks,squirrels,rats and mice are less likely to be rabid. Rabid animals appear to act differently than normal. The following are examples of suspicious behavior: • Wild animals seem friendly or tame; • Normally nocturnal animals are active during the day; • Wild animals do not run away when approached by a human or domestic animal; • Animals'normal instinctive self-preservation is contradicted by their actions; • Animals exhibit signs of excitement,meanness, or aggressive behavior; • Animals with paralyzed hind legs stagger; • Animals have drooping heads; and • Pets seem to have a hard time walking, eating, or drinking. If you are bitten or scratched by any animal or get saliva from a rabies-suspect animal into an open wound or onto a mucous membrane, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water, seek medical attention immediately,and call Animal Control.Preserve the dead animal by refrigeration as soon as possible.Report bites to the Public Health Department immediately. Disinfect any surface contaminated with tissues or fluids from a rabies-suspect animal with 10%solution of household bleach in water(one part bleach to nine parts water). Contact with a bat in a closed room can be dangerous. Contact the Public Health Department for guidance. A dog, cat, or other domestic animal inflicting a bite should be observed for 10 days after the incident. As long as the animal remains healthy for that period, no risk of transmission exists. If the animal develops signs of rabies or belongs to a wildlife or exotic species, it must be euthanized humanely and arrangements made for the rabies examination. If the animal dies during the 10-day period, a rabies examination should be performed. Bats and rabies-suspect terrestrial carnivores should be presumed rabid until confirmed negative by laboratory diagnosis, and,therefore,require urgent and careful handling. 3.3.8.8 West Nile Virus The West Nile virus(WNV)is a virus transmitted by mosquitoes to other animals through a mosquito bite. The virus is commonly found in Africa,West Asia,and the Middle East. It was first reported in the United States in New York State in the summer of 1999. As of January 11, 2005,it had been detected in 49 States and the District of Columbia in the United States. The geographic range of WNV detection within the United States has expanded each year.The WNV normally cycles between mosquitoes and birds.However, Ll SALEM engineering group. inc.