A rabid raccoon found in an affluent Los Angeles County city is causing concern for the state of rabies in California.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced in an Oct. 5 news release that it was investigating a rabies-positive raccoon in Westlake Village, a city on the border of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
The raccoon was found in a backyard and reportedly appeared sick but not aggressive toward people, the release says. One dog with up-to-date vaccinations and four people at a worksite may have been exposed to the animal and are following up with care.
Westlake Village is an affluent city in western Los Angeles County, bordering Ventura County near Thousand Oaks and Malibu
The recent case is the first detected in LA
County since 1973; the last non-bat animal was a skunk in Long Beach in 2014.
While public health authorities are still investigating the infection's possible origin, they believe a bat likely infected the raccoon.
Rabies-positive bats have increased across California, with Los Angeles and Ventura counties seeing an uptick over the summer. This year alone has broken records for the county, with 70 rabid bats confirmed.
With an uptick in rabies exposure, what should Californians do if exposed?
How to spot and prevent rabies exposure
Before heading out into nature, we understand we have to run through a mental checklist that includes mosquito repellent, sunscreen, and extra water. To protect ourselves and others from possible rabies exposure, public health officials advise the following.
- Fully vaccinate all domestic animals against rabies, including dogs (a state law), cats, and select livestock.
- Avoid contact with wild and stray animals. Alive or dead.
- Bring pet food indoors at night.
- Report animal bites to a county or municipal animal control officer.
- If bitten, wash the bite immediately with soap and water and seek medical attention.
- When camping, ensure housing and overnight dwellings (tents or cabins) are sealed off from the outdoors.
- Make sure there are no small openings through which bats or other wildlife can enter. If this is not possible, sleeping under mosquito nets may prevent bats from contacting sleeping persons.
- Educate children to keep away from wildlife and stray animals.
- Any direct contact with a bat, alive or dead, should be discussed with a healthcare provider
What happens if you're exposed to rabies? Treatment can prevent infection
Rabies is one of the deadliest viruses known, but it is also one of the most preventable after an exposure. Here's what to know:
- Seek medical care immediately after any potential rabies exposure, including bites, scratches or direct contact with a bat.
- Wash wounds right away with soap and water.
- Treatment, called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), typically includes:
- Rabies immune globulin (for unvaccinated people)
- A series of rabies vaccine shots over several weeks
- PEP is highly effective when given promptly after exposure.
- Once rabies symptoms appear, the disease is almost always fatal.
- Early symptoms can resemble the flu, then progress to confusion, hallucinations, and difficulty swallowing.
- Because bat bites and scratches can be tiny and hard to detect, health officials recommend consulting a healthcare provider after any direct contact with a bat, even if no bite is visible.
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com, 805-437-0224 or @ecentenoaraujo on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rabid raccoon found in Westlake Village causes concern for SoCal
