Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Address for correspondence: Andrea M. This is a publication of the U. This publication is in the public domain and is therefore without copyright. All text from this work may be reprinted freely. Use of these materials should be properly cited. Educational outreach should inform the public about dangers of translocation of wild animals and general aspects of rabies. Keywords: rabies virus, lyssavirus, rabies, health knowledge, attitudes, practice, outbreak, epizootic, community survey, viruses, zoonosis, Arizona, United States, USA, translocation, wild animals, wildlife, education.
Flagstaff, Arizona, USA, experienced notable outbreaks of rabies caused by a bat rabies virus variant in carnivore species in , , , , and The most recent epizootic involved transmission among skunk and fox populations and human exposures. Multiple, wide-ranging control efforts and health communications outreach were instituted in , including a household survey given to community members. Although the Flagstaff community is knowledgeable about rabies and the ongoing outbreaks in general, gaps in knowledge about routes of exposure and potential hosts remain.
Future educational efforts should include messages on the dangers of animal translocation and a focus on veterinarians and physicians as valuable sources for outreach. These results will be useful to communities experiencing rabies outbreaks as well as those at current risk.
Most reported cases of rabies occur among carnivores, including raccoons, skunks, and foxes, in addition to many bat species. Despite the elimination of canine rabies virus variants in the United States, domestic animals, including cats and dogs, are infected each year from exposures to rabid wildlife. One of the primary methods for rabies prevention and control is practical and accurate public health information.
Recognition of the signs and severity of rabies, exposure routes, behavioral and environmental risk factors, and appropriate domestic animal welfare are critical messages for disease prevention and require appropriate public education for persons of all ages 3 , 4. Rabies virus is generally transmitted among members of the same species, and specific rabies virus variants are associated geographically with independent reservoir species.
