Accurately Diagnose Epidemic, Prevent Pet Abandonment

Accurately Diagnose Epidemic, Prevent Pet Abandonment
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China)
A Translation
August 2, 2013

Summary: To no one's surprise, the public on Taiwan has been quick to panic and overreact. So far no cases of rabies in dogs have been found. Yet all over Taiwan, people have abandoned their cats, dogs, and other pets in panic. Such irresponsible behavior must be curbed. Otherwise, any rabies epidemic will only become more unpredictable, perhaps even uncontrollable.

Full text below:

To no one's surprise, the public on Taiwan has been quick to panic and overreact. So far no cases of rabies in dogs have been found. Yet all over Taiwan, people have abandoned their cats, dogs, and other pets in panic. Such irresponsible behavior must be curbed. Otherwise, any rabies epidemic will only become more unpredictable, perhaps even uncontrollable.

The COA has confirmed a case of rabies in a shrew in Taitung. This makes scientific interpretation more difficult. Why is the current wave of rabies concentrated in ferret badgers and shrews? What was the source of the virus? If the virus attacks another species, can it survive? These questions must be answered. Only then can the government's preventive measures be effective.

In 1959 Taiwan recorded its last case of rabies. Since then only three cases have been reported, all from foreign sources. For over half a century, Taiwan has not had a single local rabies case. Therefore a lack of familiarity with rabies is understandable. Naturally we lack monitoring or pathological studies. When agricultural authorities suddenly announced the discovery of ferret badger rabies, Taiwan promptly became an OIE rabies epidemic zone. This caught people off guard.

If humans are infected with the rabies virus, mortality after onset is nearly 100%. This number is truly frightening. But this number involves preconditions. For example, the infection rate varies depending upon one's physical constitution. Among those bitten, only 30% become infected. Over 90% of those infected were bitten by mad dogs. Taiwan has had three cases of rabies, all from the foreign sources. The rest were the result of scratches or bites from cats with rabies. The incident of infections from ferret badgers, shrews, and other mammals is nearly infinitesjmal.

Almost all mammals can be infected with the rabies virus. This is a fact. But animals able to infect humans with rabies are limited to five species of carnivora, specifically dogs, cats, mongooses, civets, and raccoons, and the "Chiroptera" bat. When the rabies virus enters these animals, it will divide and proliferate. The animals' bodies will harbor the viruses. After the onset of of the disease, it will pass the virus on to humans.

One point must be clarified. Different strains of rabies attach themselves to different hosts. The chance of transmission from one species to another is slight. Even if it spreads to another species, the virus cannot survive and multiply. Therefore, if a dog bites and infects a ferret badger, the virus has not found a new host. The shrew that bit a woman in Taitung was indeed infected. But it was probably incapable of hosting the virus. At least, no record of such cases exist.

Shrews are considered omens of good fortune in folklore. That is why they escaped slaughter by humans. Their are numerous. They have few natural enemies. Confirmation of infection could trigger a new wave of panic. The World Health Organization has examined tens of thousands of rodents found in human residences. They have found none infected with rabies. This shows that rodents are unable to act as hosts for the rabies virus. The shrew is an insectivore. No cases of shrews infected with rabies have been reported anywhere in the world. The infected shrew in Taitung is lower on the food chain than ordinary mice. Its ability to spread the rabies virus should be minimal.

Rabies has made a comeback. It is severely testing the ability of the epidemic prevention system to deal with unfamiliar viruses, This autumn the H7N9 avian flu will return to Taiwan. The rabies outbreak will serve as an exercise. It is also an opportunity to review the quarantine system for leaks.

First, expert members of the group should expand immunization. Rabies vaccination diagnosis and implementation is handled mainly by agricultural and public health agencies. This should be expanded to include veterinary experts, zoos with practical experience, and animal shelters. Experts must compile accurate records. Only that will prevent incorrect diagnoses.

Secondly, the rapid exchange of information and experience is vital, especially during a rabies outbreak. Mainland China has similar living conditions and customs. They have considerable experience that we could find valuable.

Thirdly, pet abandonment in the wake of epidemics must be addressed. Recently pet abandonment increased more than 30%. Many of them were trendy species owned by celebrities. This is cold-blooded animal exploitation. Among those exotic pets abandoned were minks, pangolins, and hedgehogs. Removal from their original habitat or overbreeding has left them with weak constitutions. Under the shadow of rabies, they are often abandoned. Most of these exotic pets were smuggled in. Customs and Coast Guard personnel lack expertise with wildlife. But the more fundamental problem is that government agencies are lax about enforcement. Abandoned pets could make any rabies outbreak even more catastrophic.

When dealing with rabies, honesty and caution are the real preventive measure. People bitten by unknown animals require first aid and vaccinations. The authorities must be frank, and not attempt to cover up the truth. Only this can ensure immunization, deterrence, and security.
  
精準判讀疫情，嚴防動物棄養釀災
【聯合報╱社論】
2013.08.02 04:29 am

不出所料，以台灣人民遇事之易於恐慌及過度反應，目前尚未發現任何犬隻感染狂犬病的案例，全台各地已出現了民眾棄養貓狗等寵物的狂潮。這種不負責的行為若不能有效遏止，只會使狂犬病疫情出現更多無法預期的變數，甚至導致失控。

農委會確認台東那隻錢鼠帶有狂犬病毒後，讓科學解讀變得更加複雜。為何這波狂犬病毒集中發生在鼬獾和錢鼠身上？其病毒源頭為何？其病毒若侵入另一物種，能不能繼續存活？這些問題必須解開，政府防疫工作才能有效對症下藥。

台灣在一九五九年的最後一例狂犬病紀錄後，迄今僅出現三例境外移入病例，超過半世紀不曾有過本土狂犬病例；因此，對狂犬病陌生是必然的，當然也缺乏監測或病理研究。因而，在農政單位驟然宣布鼬獾檢體驗出狂犬病毒後，台灣隨即被「世界動物衛生組織」列為狂犬病疫區，確實讓民眾感到措手不及。

人體若遭狂犬病毒感染，發病後死亡率幾達百分之百，確實可怕；但別忘了，這個數字有其前提：例如，感染者因體質不同，被咬後平均發病率只有三成；且人感染狂犬病超過百分之九十是被「狂狗」咬傷（台灣境外移入三例皆是），其餘則是遭帶有狂犬病毒且已發病的貓抓咬。來自鼬獾、錢鼠等其他哺乳類動物傳染的病例，少到幾乎可以忽略。

幾乎所有哺乳動物都會感染狂犬病毒，這是事實；但能將狂犬病毒傳染給人類的，只有「食肉目」的犬、貓、鼬、靈貓、浣熊等五科，及「翼手目」的蝙蝠。狂犬病毒進入這些動物宿主體內後，會分裂、增生，且具「保毒」作用，並在發病後有機會將病毒傳染給人類。

但必須釐清的是，不同的狂犬病毒株各有特定宿主，會傳染給另一物種的機率極小；即使傳染給其他物種，病毒也無法增生存活。因此，狗咬了帶毒的鼬獾，並不會成為病毒新宿主。至於台東咬傷婦人的錢鼠雖確認帶毒，但應不具「保毒」能力；至少，根據文獻記載，這種案例幾未發生過。

錢鼠因在民間傳說中被視為招財之兆，而逃過人類的追殺；因數量龐大，與人居環境的障礙較少，在確認牠帶毒下，可能引發新一波的恐慌。「世界衛生組織」曾檢驗上萬隻住宅區齧齒動物，並未發現齧齒動物有感染狂犬病現象，這說明齧齒動物不具擔任狂犬病毒宿主的條件。至於屬「食蟲目」之錢鼠，專家認為，過去全球尚無錢鼠感染狂犬病的報告，像台東這隻染毒錢鼠比起一般老鼠更在食物鏈之底層，散播狂犬病毒的能力應該不大。

狂犬病疫情捲土重來，嚴格考驗了防疫體系對陌生病毒的防禦能力，這對秋天Ｈ７Ｎ９禽流感將重返台灣具有操兵作用，也可趁機檢視防疫體系需要補漏之處。

首先，防疫編組專家成員應擴大層面。此次狂犬病疫情判讀及防疫指揮主要是農政、公衛體系在操作，應增加演化、獸醫學專家，及具實務經驗的動物園、野生動物收容中心等單位；且須對專家做精確的專長建檔，才不致再發生判讀疫情不到位的缺失。

其次，迅速的國際資訊交換及經驗借鏡，尤其是狂犬病好發、頻發且生活環境及習性相近的中國大陸，有不少經驗可供我參考。

第三，對寵物恐慌性棄養潮的迅速補漏。近日各地的寵物棄養增加了三成以上，其中不少是流行浪頭上的明星寵物，這是對動物的冷酷剝削。再如坊間盛行的另類寵物，如雪貂、穿山甲、刺蝟等，因為離開原生地或繁殖場過度繁殖，原就體質孱弱，在狂犬病陰影籠罩下，往往難逃棄養命運。這些稀有寵物，絕大多數是走私與夾帶進口，海關、海巡人員不具備野生動物專業固是原因，但更根本的問題在於政府相關單位執法的漫不經心。若任由動物棄養成災，這波狂犬病災情恐會更雪上加霜。

對付狂犬病，防範之道唯有誠實與謹慎，民眾被不明動物咬傷應立刻急救並施打疫苗，主管單位也應開誠布公，切勿企圖掩蓋真相。如此，我們的防疫網才能發揮遏阻及保安的效果。