Horse at US state fair dies of rabies -
------------------------------------- A horse that attended the Missouri
State Fair in Sedalia died of rabies, state health officials say. The
Missouri Department of Health is notifying people who attended the state
fair that the horse, which was stabled and shown at the fair, had the
disease.
"While there is little likelihood any visitor to the fair was
exposed to rabies from this horse, public health officials are making this
notification as a precaution," a spokesperson said.
The horse
originated from Missouri and was a 2-year-old bay gelding with a black mane,
tail, and legs. It stood about 15 hands. During the fair, the horse was
shown in the Saddlebred Show and was stabled in Barn C. "Illness was first
noted in the horse on 17 Aug 2008," the spokesperson said. "Over the next
day and a half, the horse developed severe neurologic signs and died the
morning of 19 Aug 2008. The horse subsequently tested positive for
rabies."
People directly involved in the care of the horse are being
contacted and are being assessed for possible rabies exposure and the need
for rabies post-exposure treatment.
State Public Health Veterinarian
Howard Pue said: "Attending an event where a rabid animal was present or
petting a rabid animal does not constitute a risk for
transmission."
Pue said rabies is transmitted mainly through bite wounds
from an infected animal. In some cases, it may be transmitted through fresh
open cuts in the skin or on to mucous membranes such as the eyes, mouth,
or nose from the saliva of a rabid animal.
The department says anyone who
attended the fair between 7 Aug and 9 Aug 2008 should contact their doctor
if they possibly had contact with this horse and any of the following
occurred during their visit to the fair: * They were bitten by a
horse; * Had contamination of a fresh open wound with saliva from a
horse; or * Had saliva from a horse come in contact with eyes, nose,
mouth or other mucous membranes.
