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CHINGFORD: Puppy with rabies bites kennel staff
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| Concerned staff at the Kennels |
THREE members of staff at Chingford Quarantine Kennels have been bitten by a rabid puppy, which has since been destroyed.
Those injured have received the first of the series of vaccinations which will prevent them developing rabies, a viral disease which is fatal if it is not treated rapidly.
Alick Simmons, acting Chief Veterinary Officer at Department for Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), said: "While initial tests show that this puppy has tested positive for rabies, this shows that the system is working and the case has been picked up while the animal is in quarantine.
"We are now tracing animals that have moved from the kennels to ensure that all animals that have come into contact with the puppy are monitored."
A Defra spokesman said since the puppy was in quarantine - a system which has kept Britain rabies-free since it was established early in the last century - it was most unlikely that the disease would spread.
It cannot be passed person-to-person.
The dog, one of five brought from Sri Lanka by animal charity Animal SOS Sri Lanka on April 18, died yesterday.
The other four were subsequently put down.
Chingford Conservative MP told the BBC that he was called last night by Environment Minister Lord Rooker to let him know what had happened.
He said: "Naturally I am very concerned about the welfare of staff who have been affected.
"I was assured by the Minister that the situation is under control."
Speaking to the Telegraph, shadow environment secretary Peter Ainsworth expressed concern that rabies had returned to the UK but said it seemed the quarantine system had worked.He said it was essential that animals which had been in contact with the rabid puppy were traced as soon as possible.Professor Hugh Pennington, an expert in bacteriology at Aberdeen University, told the BBC the treatment for rabies had a high success rate.He said even washing the wound out with soap and water would kill the virus.Anti serum is then injected into the wound and those affected are given a series of injections to build up immunity.
* Rabies is a viral disease which affects the central nervous system. Once symptoms appear it is almost always fatal, but patients can be treated with antibodies and a vaccination to fight the virus after being bitten.
7:19am Saturday 26th April 2008
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