Rabies info Horses & Livestock

[atlhealth@mindspring.com]

This is to clarify a few points about rabies in general, and especially about getting horses vaccinated.  Also about getting antibody titers done.

First, who am I to be giving advice?  I directed CDC's rabies program for about 15 years, then was state public health veterinarian and state epidemiologist in Georgia until 1990.  Since then, Mary Yager (SE AERC member #14386) and I were asked to set up a rabies lab for testing human serums for rabies antibody content in order to assist those companies involved in making the human origin rabies immune globulin (HRIG).  We, Atlanta Health Associates, Inc., as well as Kansas State University, test individual human and animal sera for rabies antibody. 

Rabies in horses is relatively rare, less than 50 cases/year in the United States.  These result from exposures from rabid wild, carnivorous animals, usually foxes, skunks, or raccoons.  While many other horses are obviously exposed, they are protected from developing clinical rabies due to their natural or acquired (vaccination) immunity. 

The Compendium of Animal Rabies Control (1999) succinctly states "All species of livestock are susceptible to rabies; cattle and horses are the most frequently infected."  As a practical measure the Compendium (which I initiated in the 1960's and have helped update almost every year since then) states, "It is neither economically feasible nor justified from a public health standpoint to vaccinate all livestock against rabies.  However, consideration  should be given to vaccination of horses and cows that are particularly valuable, and/or may have frequent contact with humans.

There are three inactivated (safe and potent) rabies vaccines licensed by USDA for use in horses which any veterinarian will have. 

Anyone who would like a titer done on their horse could send 2 ml of serum to KSU or to us at Atlanta Health Associates, Inc. Results will be faxed or mailed to you within a week.  A titer (antibody/protection) will be expressed in international units (IU) or in reciprocal dilution results.  A blood containing >0.5 IU or >1:25 is considered a positive response (protection) to vaccination. 

If a horse who has been vaccinated and has a positive titer is subsequently exposed to a rabid animal, the owner should have the animal revaccinated (1 dose of vaccine) and simply observed for 45 days.  If a horse is exposed and was not vaccinated prior to the exposure, officials will recommend immediate euthanasia of the animal or it must be kept in close quarantine for 6 months.

Sincerely,

Keith Sikes, DVM, MPH

Atlanta Health Associates, Inc.

309 Pirkle Ferry Road, Suite D300

Cumming, GA  30040

800-717-5612

770-205-9091

http://www.atlantahealth.net