Stray animals could cause death

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Sara Csurilla
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Lions, tigers and bears oh my!

The wildlife here may not be that ferocious, but due to the high probability of stray animals carrying the rabies disease, there are some very dangerous animals to steer clear of.

"Our main concerns are the stray cats and kittens on base and in the local area," said Senior Airman Jonathan Hunt, a public health technician with the 39th Medical Group. "We also want people to stay away from dogs, foxes or any other stray animals. We suggest people do not feed, pet or play with any of the stray animals. The slightest scratch, bite or any contact with infected saliva can transmit the disease."

If a person does come in contact with an animal and suspects it of having rabies, Public Health professionals strongly advises that person to seek medical attention within 72 hours.

"If someone comes into the clinic and we decide that he or she are in danger of having the disease, we will provide the patient with a series of five shots over a two week period," said Airman Hunt. "The shots are administered directly into the wound and tend to be very painful."

The only way to test an animal for the rabies virus is by directly testing brain tissue. If an animal is suspected of carrying the disease it will have to be caught, euthanized and tested to determine if the human that came in contact with it is in danger.

If the animal cannot be caught, the patient will be given the five shots regardless.

If a person did contract the disease and goes untreated, he or she will begin to experience symptoms within two to 12 weeks.

"The first stage of symptoms is similar to the flu and last for a few days," said Airman Hunt. "The second stage is when a person may experience abnormal behavior, delirium, hallucinations and insomnia."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, once clinical signs of rabies appear, the disease is almost always fatal. To date less than 10 documented cases of human survival from clinical rabies have been reported.

If a person is bit or scratched by any stray animal, he or she can walk directly into the clinic, call 676-6666 to make an appointment or visit the closest hospital as soon as possible if out of the area.

For more information about the Rabies disease, visit http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/symptoms/index.html.