More than a dozen foxes killed in communities across the region have tested positive for rabies this year, according to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation (YKHC).
The viral disease, which attacks the nervous system, is endemic, meaning it’s always present in low levels in local fox populations, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. But it can sometimes develop into a larger outbreak – which increases the likelihood that it will spread to pets. For unvaccinated pets that are attacked by rabid foxes and contract the disease, it’s always fatal.
If left untreated, rabies infections are also fatal for humans. It’s transmitted mostly through bites or scratches from infected animals because the virus that causes the disease resides in saliva.
KYUK spoke with YKHC’s director of public health, Brian Lefferts, about what residents of the region need to know about an uptick in foxes across the region testing positive for rabies.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. During the course of the interview, YKHC confirmed two additional fox rabies cases, bringing the total number of confirmed positive cases in the region to 13 as of March 19.
KYUK (Evan Erickson): What is it that's unusual about the amount of foxes on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta testing positive for rabies this winter?
Brian Lefferts: Of the ones that we have results on, all of them are positive. And to put that in context, I mean, there's a few years where we don't even send in any fox. And so it is, you know, anecdotally, it feels like more than is typical.
KYUK: And can you give an idea of where in the region those are being reported and then tested and testing positive?
Lefferts: I mean, from all over [...] We don't want people in areas where there hasn't been a positive fox to feel like there isn't any rabies there. And so anywhere in the [Yukon-Kuskokwim] Delta, there's the possibility of having rabid fox, and when we see an increase in one area, there's likely going to be an increase all across the region. And so we just want people to be aware of that everywhere in the [Yukon-Kuskokwim] Delta right now, where rabies is endemic, and we're seeing an increase which is fairly spread out across the region.
KYUK: What can residents of Bethel and villages in the region do to mitigate the risk of having an interaction with a fox?
Lefferts: People should be aware of animals that are behaving strangely, and anytime somebody's bit or scratched by a dog or any other wild animal, they should immediately seek medical care with YKHC. And then that provider initiates a bite investigation report with the Office of Environmental Health, who conducts a rabies investigation to determine if there is a risk of rabies and if [the person] need[s] to receive treatment in order to prevent rabies. So really, just being on the lookout for any sort of strange behavior in animals, if you notice that, then you can reach out to us or to [the Alaska Department of Fish and Game] and report that. If there's a bite, then we definitely want to report that. If an animal does need to be tested, we ask that people not shoot the animal in the head, because we need the brain intact in order to test that animal for rabies.
I do also want to say that all pets should be vaccinated for rabies. And [people] can reach out to the [YKHC] Office of Environmental Health, and we can provide them guidance on how frequently that should be. But here in Bethel, get ahold of your veterinarian or Bethel Friends of Canines and get immunized. YKHC Office of Environmental Health also partners with them to do a lot of rabies vaccine drives. Pets should be updated on their vaccine. If you live in a village and you're interested in becoming a lay vaccinator, then you can reach out to the Office of Environmental Health, 907-543-6420, and somebody there can talk to you about what it would take to become a lay vaccinator. We can train you, and we can ship you out free vaccines so you can vaccinate animals in your community.
KYUK: There are people who might be nervous about undergoing the treatment. Is this something that you have to travel outside of Bethel to receive?
Lefferts: No, we can provide the treatment here in Bethel, and it's really important that people get that treatment if they've been exposed to or potentially exposed to rabies. Because if not treated, and it was rabies, it is deadly. So getting that treatment can prevent you from dying.
KYUK: I finally confirmed today that a moose that was 'dispatched' by the Bethel Police Department [on Feb. 18] was tested for rabies and tested negative. Is rabies transmitted to moose something that public health officials are concerned about?
Lefferts: We're not experts in that sort of thing, but we just wanted to say, like, any mammal can get rabies. As far as we know, it's rare for moose to have rabies, but it has happened in the past. So the general wisdom is that if an animal looks sick, we recommend people wear gloves whenever they're handling raw meat, not eat animals that look sick, and then to cook meat thoroughly.
KYUK: How many people have gotten the series of shots? I'm just wondering if anyone's had a close call this season.
Lefferts: I haven't looked at the numbers this year, but year to year, we do over 100 bite investigations every year, and about, on average, about 10% of the people didn't go on to get post exposure prophylaxis, and that's for a variety of reasons. Maybe it's because the animal tested positive, maybe because we couldn't determine if the animal was rabid or not, and it’s just a precaution. So those are conversations, we do an investigation, and those are conversations between the provider and the patient and about what's best for their health. But yeah, about 10% then get that. I don't know where we're on track for this year, but it's not way different than other years.
