Fredericksburg man bitten by rabid fox is among seven confirmed rabies cases in the region so far this year.

By JIM HALL

Date published: 5/4/2006

By JIM HALL

Health officials have issued a rabies warning after a man was bitten by a rabid fox in Fredericksburg.

The incident occurred Saturday morning near the city train station. The man was walking between the original Walker-Grant School and one of the commuter parking lots when a fox ran from the woods and bit him, said Jennifer Gron, rabies coordinator for the Rappahannock Area Health District.

"Rabid animals behave in unusual ways," Gron said.

The man grabbed a stick and killed the fox. The fox tested positive for rabies.

"It was good we had the animal for testing," Gron said.

The fox bit the man on the ankle, but the wound was not serious. The man was treated at the hospital and was advised to receive additional rabies treatments, Gron said.

This was the first confirmed case of rabies in Fredericksburg this year and the first case of a rabid animal biting a human.

Six other rabid animals have been identified in the region so far this year.

These include a fox in King George County, two skunks in Caroline County, a skunk and raccoon in Stafford County and a skunk in Spotsylvania County. Twenty-three cases of rabies were confirmed in the region last year.

"The reality is that there's probably more rabies out there," Gron said.

Residents are asked to avoid wild or stray animals and to report unusual animal behavior to the police.

Health officials also suggest that pet dogs and cats get a rabies vaccination. The vaccination protects the pet and the owner, in case the pet contacts a rabid animal outdoors.

Rabies is a viral infection of the brain passed to humans through the bite of an infected animal. If untreated, it is almost always fatal.

Vaccination of pets and the quick treatment of those bitten have all but eliminated the disease in humans.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises persons bitten by a potentially rabid animal to immediately wash the wound with soap and water; capture the animal, if this can be done safely; submit the animal for testing; contact local public health officials; and visit a physician for treatment.

To reach JIM HALL: 540/374-5433
Email: jhall@freelancestar.com

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Date published: 5/4/2006