News Release
Jan. 8, 2020
The Texas Department of State
Health Services’ successful Oral Rabies Vaccination Program gets off to a
flying start today in its annual mission to protect people and animals from the
deadly disease. This is the 26th year that aircraft have dropped
packets of rabies vaccine over rural areas of the state to vaccinate wildlife
and prevent them from exposing pets, livestock and humans to the deadly virus.
Approximately 1 million doses of
vaccine will be distributed over the next two weeks, depending on weather and
other conditions. Flights out of Zapata County Airport in Zapata begin on Wednesday,
Jan. 8 before moving to Del Rio International Airport in Del Rio on Jan. 12 and
to Alpine-Casparis Municipal Airport in Alpine on Jan. 18.
In 1995, the Texas Oral Rabies
Vaccination Program was developed in response to major outbreaks of the canine
strain of rabies in southern Texas and the gray fox type of rabies in western
Texas. The outbreaks involved hundreds of animal cases, caused two human deaths
and forced thousands of people to get expensive post-exposure treatments.
Over the next several years, the
program eliminated the canine and gray fox strains of rabies from Texas. Efforts
are now concentrated on a 25-mile wide swath along the border from the Rio
Grande Valley to Big Bend.
“Our goal is to vaccinate animals
migrating into the state and keep those strains from being reintroduced,” said
Dr. Laura Robinson, ORVP director. “This year vaccine baits will be distributed
in 19 counties along the border.”
The vaccine is contained in small
plastic packets covered in fishmeal crumbles to make them more attractive for
wildlife to eat. The vaccine has proven safe in more than 60 species of animals
and is not a danger to humans. People should avoid handling the vaccine baits
because human contact makes it less likely wild animals will eat them. Dogs,
cats and livestock that eat the vaccine baits are not considered vaccinated
against rabies.
Rabies is spread through the saliva
of infected animals, usually by a bite. Preventing rabies is critical because
once a person or animal displays symptoms, the disease is almost always fatal.
Immunizing domestic animals is an
important part of stopping the spread of rabies, and DSHS urges everyone to
have their pets vaccinated as required by law. While the ORVP has eliminated
some types of rabies, bats and skunks remain significant sources of the disease
in Texas, and there are hundreds of animal cases every year.
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(News Media Contact: Lara Anton, DSHS Press Officer, 512-776-7753)
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