Rabies
Rabies is a vaccine-preventable, zoonotic, viral disease affecting the central nervous system. In up to 99% of the human rabies cases, dogs are responsible for virus transmission. Children between the age of 5 and 14 years are frequent victims. Rabies infects mammals, including dogs, cats, livestock and wildlife.
How To Catch A Bat
How Did I Get Rabies?
People usually get rabies from the bite of a rabid animal. It is also possible, but quite rare, that people may get rabies if infectious material from a rabid animal, such as saliva, gets directly into their eyes, nose, mouth, or a wound.
What Are Common Symptoms of Rabies?
- Fever, headache, weakness, discomfort, or malaise
- Itching, prickling, or tingling at the bite site
- Loss of appetite
- Muscle aches
- Nausea
- Tiredness
How Do I Treat Rabies?
Once a rabies infection is established, there's no effective treatment. Though a small number of people have survived rabies, the disease usually causes death. For that reason, if you think you've been exposed to rabies, you must get a series of shots to prevent the infection from taking hold.
Pre-Screener for Suspected Rabies Exposure from Animals
Our Disease Prevention staff at Whitman County Public Health conduct case investigations for suspected rabies exposure from animals. Our goal throughout the case investigation is to prevent human cases of rabies virus.
For Whitman County Veterinarians
For Schools
How Do I Prevent Rabies?
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Do Not Handle Wild Animals
Handling wild animals may seem tempting, but it can unknowingly expose you to rabies and other hidden dangers.
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Talk to Your Kids
Teach your children to never touch or handle bats, even dead ones. Have your children tell an adult if they find a bat at home, at school, or with a pet.
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Leave Wild Animals Alone
If you see a wild animal, leave it alone. Wild animals might look harmless, but getting too close could put you at risk for rabies and other serious diseases.
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Do Not Keep Wild Animals As Pets
Wild animals can carry rabies without showing symptoms, and keeping them as pets increases the chances of exposure through bites, scratches, or close contact.
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Keep Bats Out of Your Living Space
To keep bats out of your living space, seal cracks and gaps in walls, windows, and doors, and ensure all vents are properly covered.
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Vaccinate Your Pets
Pets can get rabies if bitten by a rabid animal. Protect them and yourself by getting them vaccinated routinely. Dogs, cats, and ferrets are now required to be vaccinated in Washington. Consult your veterinarian for vaccine recommendations.
Illnesses from Ticks
Ticks in Washington State
Ticks are small blood-feeding parasites; some can spread diseases to humans.
- Anaplasmosis
- Babesiosis
- Lyme Disease
- Tick-borne relapsing fever
- Tick paralysis
- Tularemia
- Rocky Mountain
- Spotted Fever
Removing a Tick
Remove the tick as soon as possible to reduce chances of getting sick.
Step 01
Use fine-tipped tweezers to remove. Avoid touching tick with bare hands.
Step 02
Grab tick close to skin and pull upward with steady pressure. Don’t twist or jerk—this may leave mouth parts behind. If left behind, remove with tweezers. If mouth parts are not easily removed, leave it and let skin heal.
Step 03
Disinfect thoroughly after removal. If you develop a rash, fever, or flu-like symptoms within weeks of a tick bite, see your healthcare provider. Mention the bite details and, if possible, bring the tick for identification.
Submit a Tick for Identification
If you find a tick on a person or pet and think they have been bitten, you can send the tick to the WADOH for identification. Identifying the species of tick may help a healthcare provider diagnose tick borne illnesses.
You can submit ticks found on yourself or your pet for identification. Safely remove the tick, place it in a crush-proof container, and follow the submission instructions in the form below. You will receive an email with the tick species and the diseases it may carry.
Testing a Tick
Testing ticks for disease is not recommended for the following reasons:
- Laboratories that conduct tick testing are not required to have the same standards of quality control used by clinical diagnostic laboratories. Test results should not be used for treatment decisions.
- Even if a tick tests positive for illness, it may not have been attached to the body long enough to transmit infection.
- Even if a tick test negative for illness, the patient may have been bitten unknowingly by a different infected tick.
- Results of tick tests typically are not available before the symptoms appear.
Prevent Ticks Around Your Home
Yard Maintenance - make your yard less attractive for ticks
- Clear leaf litter, brush, woodpiles, and trash.
- Mow grass, trim shrubs, and limit ground cover in play & pet areas.
- Keep play areas away from woods; use mulch or wood chips as foundation.
- Control rodents around the home.
Protect your Pets
- Keep pets out of tall grass and wooded areas.
- Use tick control products as directed; consult your veterinarian if needed
How Do I Avoid Ticks?
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Avoid Thick Vegetation
Ticks are commonly found in shaded, humid, overgrown areas like tall grass, leaf litter, and brush, often at the edges of forests and lawns. They also prefer to cling to low-lying vegetation, waiting for a host to brush against them.
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Use Repellent
Apply EPA-registered repellent with DEET, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, picaridin or 2-undecanone. Treat clothes and gear with 0.5% permethrin
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Dress & Check for Ticks
Wear light-colored long sleeves and pants; tuck pants into socks and shirt into pants.
Check yourself, kids, and pets after being outside - focus on hair, ears, underarms, behind knees, waist, and groin.
Shower after outdoor activity to wash off ticks.
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If You Do Find a Tick
Remove the tick as soon as possible to reduce chances of getting sick.
Hantavirus
Hantavirus can cause a rare but serious lung disease called Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS).
Hantavirus is found in the urine, droppings, and saliva of infected rodents. In Washington State, deer mice are the carriers of the virus and usually do not show any signs of being ill while infected.
People can get Hantavirus by breathing in dust that has the virus from fresh urine, droppings, or nests of infected rodents. The risk is highest in closed-up places like sheds, cabins, or cars where rodents live and there isn’t much fresh air. People can also get sick by touching surfaces with the virus and then touching their nose or mouth. However, it does not spread from person to person.
How Do People Get Infected?
- Breathing in virus
- Touching face after touching virus
- Being bitten or scratched by rodent
- Eating contaminated food
Hantavirus does not spread person-to-person
Common activities that can expose a person to Hantavirus:
- Cleaning up rodent urine, droppings, & nests without wearing rubber or plastic gloves
- Entering a home, shed, camper, or cabin infested with rodents
- Working in areas, such as barns or cars, where rodents live
- Participating in recreational outdoor activities where exposure to rodent habitat may occur
How to Protect Yourself
What Are The Symptoms?
Symptoms of HPS begin 1-8 weeks after exposure to the virus.
First 3-5 days of illness is similar to the flu:
- fever sore
- muscles
- headache
- nausea
- vomiting
- fatigue
As the disease gets worse, it causes coughing & shortness of breath as fluid fills the lungs. HPS is serious & people with HPS usually need hospitalization.
One out of three people with HPS die.
How Do I Treat Hantavirus?
There is no specific treatment for hantavirus, but early medical care can improve the chances of survival. Treatment focuses on supportive care to help with symptoms and prevent complications.
How Do I Prevent Hantavirus?
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Avoid All Wild Rodents
Rodents can carry harmful viruses and bacteria which can spread to humans through the air or direct contact.
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Keep Rodents Out of Your Home
- Seal up cracks & gaps in buildings that are larger than 1/4"
- Keep food & garbage in thick plastic or metal containers with tight lids.
- Trim trees back & don’t allow plants to grow up alongside your house.
- Stack firewood 18" off the ground & away from all buildings.
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Keep Rodents Out of Your Vehicle
- Keep your car clean and safe. Avoid leaving food, remove any crumbs or debris.
- Use deterrents like peppermint oil or mothballs.
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Use Snap Traps Indoors
Place the traps near where you have found evidence of rodents.
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Clean Up After Rodents
Ventilate the space, wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and wet the contaminated areas with a bleach solution before cleaning. Dispose of the waste carefully and wash your hands and gloves thoroughly afterwards. View the fact sheet with more detailed information.
Other Illnesses from Animals
Illnesses from Mosquitos
Mosquito bites can transmit serious illnesses like West Nile virus, dengue fever, Zika virus, malaria, chikungunya, yellow fever, and lymphatic filariasis. Symptoms range from mild fevers and aches to severe complications like birth defects, neurological problems, or life-threatening conditions. Not everyone infected gets sick, but these diseases highlight the importance of preventing mosquito bites.