Tenn. health officials alert thousands over rabies at horse show

Tennessee's Department of Health has alerted about 4,200 people who attended a horse show several weeks ago that one of the animals tested positive for rabies, but an official said it is unlikely the disease spread during the show. John Dunn, a medical epidemiologist, said Tuesday letters were sent out Monday to attendees in 34 states, Canada and Germany. The letters say a horse from Waynesville, Mo., became ill during the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration held in Shelbyville from Aug. 23-Sept. 2 and could have spread the disease to people or other horses. However, the chance of rabies spreading to people or other horses is rare, Dunn said. "Rabies can only be contracted through the bite of an infected animal," Dunn said. "There is also a small potential for contraction through a large amount of saliva in a fresh open wound, or in contact with the nose, eyes, or mouth." The letter asks that people contact the department if they believe they had direct contact with the infected horse....

This is an official CDC Health Advisory

Distributed via Health Alert Network
September 9, 2006, 20:44 EDT (08:44 PM EDT) CDCHAN-00248-06-09-09-ADV-N

Horse stabled at Tennessee Walking Horse 2006 National Celebration
Tested Positive for Rabies

The Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) with the assistance of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are notifying the
approximately 150,000 persons who attended the Tennessee Walking Horse
National Celebration in Shelbyville of a confirmed case of rabies in a
horse stabled on the grounds during the event. If persons were bitten or
came in contact with saliva from this horse (described below) from
August 23-31, 2006 while attending the Celebration, they may have been
exposed to rabies and are invited to contact TDH for an assessment.

Rabies is a viral infection that nearly always results in fatal
encephalitis. Humans may be exposed to rabies primarily through the bite
of a rabid animal or when the virus is introduced into fresh open cuts
in the skin or onto mucous membranes such as the eyes, mouth or nose
from the saliva of a rabid animal. Attending an event where a rabid
animal was present, petting a rabid animal or contact with the blood,
urine or feces of a rabid animal does not constitute a risk for
transmission. If a person is exposed to rabies, a series of shots
(post-exposure prophylaxis) is highly effective in preventing the
disease.

Among the approximate 150,000 persons who attended the Tennessee Walking
Horse National Celebration, the number and origin (U.S. states or other
countries) of persons who may have been exposed to this horse are
unknown. TDH is currently working with event organizers and managers to identify additional mechanisms to contact participants and visitors.

The horse that developed rabies was from Waynesville, Missouri. It was a
3-year-old gelding (neutered male horse), buckskin (cream to tan) in
color with a black mane and tail. "Buck" or "Bucky" was described as
"small," 14 hands or 56 inches tall at the withers (i.e., the highest
area of the shoulders at the base of the neck). He was stabled on the
north side of Barn 50 in stall #12, the third from the west end. A
bright blue curtain labeled "4J Land and Cattle Company" covered the
outside porch of the barn.

The potential for contact by the public was very limited when the horse
was in its stall but there may have been opportunity for public contact
when the horse was taken for rides on the Celebration grounds. The horse
was first noted to be ill on August 28. Over the next few days, the
horse developed severe neurological signs and, as a result, was
euthanized.

Persons directly involved in the care of the horse are being assessed
for possible rabies exposure and the need for rabies post-exposure
treatment....