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Breaking rabies' deadly cycle
By Times Staff Writer
Published August 9, 2005
When a bat flew into the car of 17-year-old Teresa Shields of Seminole on July 29 and bit her on the hand, rabies was an immediate concern.
With reason.
Of the 36 cases of rabies reported in the United States since 1980, 21 of them have been linked to bats, says Directors of Health Promotion and Education, a national public health clearinghouse.
Rabies is a viral disease that attacks the central nervous system. The virus that causes it is found in the saliva of infected animals and is transmitted to humans and pets by bites.
Shields was lucky; the bite didn't break the skin.
Most of us can take steps to prevent the disease: vaccinate pets, don't feed or handle stray animals and keep your distance from wild animals such as raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes.
And should a bat fly into your car, don't touch it.
If you are bitten, seek medical attention. If untreated, rabies causes a painful death. The information below shows how the virus affects the body.
[Last modified August 8, 2005, 17:29:03]
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