The Center for Disease superintend...

The Center for Disease superintendence and Prevention (CDC) has released a report forward the first human death associated with raccoon rabies. The report is available online at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5245a4.htm.

In March 2003 a previously healthy 25-year-old man from northern Virginia died from a diagnosed illness of meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology after a three-week illness. following testing confirmed a diagnosis of rabies. Genetic sequencing identified a rabies virus variant associated with raccoons, yet how the patient became infected is unknown.

The CDC report summarizes the investigation of the first documented case of human rabies associated with a raccoon rabies virus variant in the United States, and highlights the importance of continued education in the prevention and diagnosis of rabies. Guidelines for care are available onward the CDC Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/.

COPYRIGHT 2004 American Academy of Family Physicians

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