The Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) confirmed two outbreaks of wild rabies in the municipalities of Yopal and San Luis de Palenque, alerting local and departmental authorities to activate health emergency protocols.
Olga Lucía Ramírez, Zoonosis reference of the Casanare Health Secretariat, reported that, in Yopal the outbreak was detected in a bovine in the town of Tilodirán, while in San Luis de Palenque the virus affected a horse in the village of La Nevera, it was reported that there is another case in Monterrey in the La Tigrana village.
Given the confirmation of these cases, the health secretaries of the municipalities have immediately begun control actions. “The first thing we do is convene a zoonoses committee to coordinate interventions. From there the specific tasks emerge and the personnel who will travel to each area to carry out the field investigation and focal control actions are determined,” the official explained.
Technicians from the Ministry of Health verify the circulation of the rabies virus to identify more infected animals and follow up on people who have manipulated the mouth, head and brain to perform medical tracing.
“Although we confirm an animal by laboratory, mortality may be higher. Already in the Tilodirán focus we found more previously dead animals,” added Ramírez.
In addition to investigation and contact management, campaigns are being carried out to capture bats as sources of spread. In addition to the promotion of vaccination of dogs and cats, and community education on how to handle potentially transmitting animals.
Regarding the symptoms, Ramírez reported that the animals tend to separate from the herd, changes such as walking in circles, prostration and death in less than five days.
Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system and can cause death. It affects domestic animals such as cattle, horses, sheep, goats, pigs, canines and felines. It is also considered one of the main zoonotic diseases, that is, one that is transmitted from animals to people.
Transmission of the rabies virus generally begins when infected saliva from a host passes to an uninfected animal. The most common mode of transmission of the rabies virus is the bite. However, transmission has been documented through other routes, such as contamination of mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth), airborne particles, ingestion of infected tissues or secretions, and organ and corneal transplants.
In Colombia, in the majority of cases historically reported to the ICA, blood-sucking bats are the transmitters.
The animal with rabies suffers paralysis of the jaw, cannot swallow and releases too much drool, the official warned to alert ranchers by pointing out that the virus is transmitted by saliva.
