Raccoon With Rabies Found on Long Island

Following the recent finding of a rabid raccoon in Nassau County, Suffolk health officials have advised the public to be on the lookout for sickly raccoons.

The Nassau Health Department announced Thursday that an animal collected in Hicksville by a wildlife trapper and submitted to the state for analysis, tested positive for rabies, the first confirmed case of the disease on Long Island since 2007.

On Friday evening, Suffolk Health Commissioner Dr. James Tomarken ordered an increase in the countywide rabies-watch program, particularly along the county border in Babylon and Huntington. Residents of those towns have been asked to report "abnormally acting raccoons" and dead raccoons. Dead raccoons should be discarded in the garbage, but health officials warned that people and pets should have no direct contact with dead or dying animals. The county recommends using a shovel, wearing rubber gloves, and double-bagging the carcass.

The rabies virus, usually transmitted through a bite from a rabid animal, infects the central nervous system. The virus can also be transmitted from the saliva of a rabid animal through open cuts or skin lesions.

Suffolk County residents have been asked to report raccoons that come into contact with people or pets to the county Department of Health Services. The county has also asked that no one, including trappers and nuisance wildlife rehabilitators, transport or relocate any wild animals, to help prevent the possible spread of the rabies virus.

The virus, usually transmitted through a bite from a rabid animal, infects the central nervous system. The virus can also be transmitted from the saliva of a rabid animal through open cuts or skin lesions.

Dell Cullum, an East Hampton wildlife trapper, said on the East End are already experiencing a thinning of the population due to a widespread outbreak of distemper over the past couple of years. Raccoons can contract feline or canine distemper, though distemper is not transferable to humans.

“There is no cure, and the raccoons die after a short period of time. However, prior to death they will have seizures that resemble what people think are signs of rabies,” like chattering teeth, Mr. Cullum said. He called the latest news unfortunate for the animals. “It's a shame, as these critters get a bad enough rap.”

Animals most associated with the rabies virus are skunks, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, and bats. Mr. Cullum said, though, that feral cat populations were more likely to be infected by rabies. “I’d worry more about them than a raccoon,” he said.

Excessive drooling, aggression, fearfulness, and other uncommon behavior are signs of rabies. On the East End, however, uncommon behavior can be difficult to pinpoint, because, Mr. Cullum said, raccoons here are no longer strictly nocturnal. “Due to the abundance of trash and its accessibility day and night, the raccoon finds it safe to forage day or night," he said, noting that he gets many calls about raccoons seen during daylight hours.

The best way to tell if a raccoon is sick with distemper or rabies is disorientation, he said. “Most commonly, the sick animal will walk in circles, stumble, or show difficulty using their back legs . . . this looks terrifying; however, at this point they are usually very close to death.” Mr. Cullum recommended videotaping a suspicious raccoon and sending the tape to the health department.

Mr. Cullum’s phone at 631-377-6555. His email address is [email protected].

To report a sighting, Suffolk residents can call the health department at 631-852-5900, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The after-hours number is 631-852-4820.

The county also offered the following recommendations:

• Keep dogs, cats and ferrets on a leash and keep livestock confined in the evening. State and county laws require that all dogs, cats, and ferrets be vaccinated against rabies, not only to protect the animal but to prevent the virus from spreading.

• Do not have contact with any animal other than your own.

• Do not feed wildlife or stray animals, and discourage them from seeking food near your home.

• Do not approach an unknown animal, either wild or domestic, especially if it is acting in an unusual way.

• Keep garbage cans tightly covered and avoid storing any food outside.

• Children should be advised to tell an adult immediately if they have been bitten or scratched by any animal.

The Nassau Health Department also recommended notifying officials if a bat is found in a room where people were sleeping, or if a adult finds a bat in a room where a child was alone.

More information is available through the New York State Department of Health's website and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.