Fox that attacked two people in Westmoreland County tests positive for rabies

A fox that bit two people in Loyalhanna Township, Westmoreland County, on March 1 has tested positive for rabies.

"A homeowner went outside to unlock her car in the morning," said Nicole Bucher, deputy press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. "When she pressed the remote door lock the sound alerted the fox that was under the car and it bit her leg. She was able to scare it off with her purse. The fox went to a neighbor's house where it charged the homeowner and bit him on the foot. He shot and killed it."


It isn't possible to determine if this fox infected any wild or domestic animals before it was killed, Bucher said. The Department of Agriculture recommends that people contact their veterinarian if they believe that their livestock or pets have been exposed.

"A possible exposure would consist of unexplained wounds on your livestock or pets," she said. "This is of great importance, as you need to assure that your livestock and pets are not a potential source of rabies for your family, neighbors or other pets or livestock."

Pennsylvania law requires that all dogs and non-feral cats three months of age or older be vaccinated against rabies and that booster vaccinations are administered periodically to maintain lifelong immunity. Rabies vaccines are also available for other species.

In January and February of this year, 44 animals were confirmed to be rabid in Pennsylvania. That included 28 raccoons; five skunks; two each of deer, red foxes, horses and cats; and one each of gray fox, bat and cattle. The March fox won't be added to the total until next month. None of those animals was found in Somerset County.

Bob Mitchell, editor of the Pennsylvania Game News magazine, said rabies is relatively common in raccoons and foxes, especially in the southwestern part of the state. The strain of rabies moved up from the South 20 years ago.

"You have to be cautious, to use common sense," Mitchell said. "Don't handle wild animals, especially if they are acting abnormally. If foxes or raccoons are out during the day, that is unusual. It's a warning sign."

While an animal eventually will look very ill when it has rabies, it may not appear to be sick at first.

In January a Lancaster County man was exposed to rabies while field dressing a deer, Mitchell said. The man had scratches on his hands and handled the deer without wearing gloves. The man told the Game Commission that he had concerns about the deer because of its behavior. The deer was making so much noise that at first he thought a coyote was nearby. In West Virginia a man was exposed to rabies by picking up road kill.

"If you think an animal has rabies and the animal is still there, call the police or someone to kill it," he said. "Don't destroy the head. Pack the animal on ice to send it for testing."

The website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the rabies virus is transmitted through saliva or brain/nervous system tissue. It is a medical urgency, but not an emergency. One of the most effective ways to decrease the chance for infection is to wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water. People should see their doctor for attention for any trauma from the animal attack before considering the need for rabies vaccination. The doctor, possibly in consultation with the state Health Department, will decide if the patient needs a vaccination.

In the United States, treatment consists of a regimen of one dose of immune globulin and four doses of rabies vaccine over a 14-day period. The injections are now given in the arm and not the stomach as earlier vaccines were. Once a person begins to exhibit signs of the disease, survival is rare. To date, there are fewer than 10 documented cases of human survival from clinical rabies.