Notes from the Field: Enhanced Surveillance for Raccoon Rabies Virus Variant and Vaccination of Wildlife for Management - Omaha, Nebraska, October 2023-July 2024

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024 Oct 17;73(41):933-935. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7341a4.

Abstract

On September 28, 2023, a kitten aged approximately 6 weeks found in Omaha, Nebraska, had test results positive for rabies at the Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Center (NVDC) after dying with neurologic signs and having bitten and scratched its caretakers. Preliminary investigation identified 10 exposed persons for whom postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) was recommended. Subsequent variant-typing by NVDC yielded a presumptive positive result for the Eastern raccoon rabies virus variant (RRVV), which CDC confirmed on October 6.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Wild*
  • Humans
  • Nebraska / epidemiology
  • Population Surveillance
  • Post-Exposure Prophylaxis
  • Rabies Vaccines* / administration & dosage
  • Rabies virus* / immunology
  • Rabies virus* / isolation & purification
  • Rabies* / epidemiology
  • Rabies* / prevention & control
  • Rabies* / veterinary
  • Raccoons
  • Vaccination / statistics & numerical data
  • Vaccination / veterinary

Substances

  • Rabies Vaccines