This news item expired on Monday, October 31, 2016 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
Buncombe County Health and Human Services has notified the public of an unprovoked attack on a man outside his home by a rabid raccoon. Contact with a rabid animal presents a risk of exposure to rabies.
If you live in the East Asheville area and had contact with an animal that was acting abnormally (acting unusually aggressive or salivating) it is extremely important that you contact the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office at 250-6670 so your situation can be assessed.
The rabies virus is spread through saliva and infects the central nervous system, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death. Any mammal can carry rabies but the main animals that get rabies include raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats. One of the best ways to protect yourself and your family is to avoid contact with wild animals. Do not feed or handle them, even if they seem friendly. If you see a wild animal acting strangely, report it to Animal Control. It’s also important that parents tell their children to never go near a wild animal.
Symptoms of rabies might not show up for months, but it is important to receive proper care very soon after a bite or other exposure. Rabies “post-exposure vaccines” can prevent the transmission of the rabies disease if administered within 72 hours. Without these vaccines the outcome of a person bitten by an animal with rabies is death, usually within just a few days after symptoms develop.
Take Action If You Are Bitten
If you or someone in your family is exposed to a rabid animal, rabies can be prevented through a series of shots called rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). If you are bitten by any animal, follow these steps:
Immediately wash the wound well with soap and water and see a healthcare provider or go to the Emergency Department of your local hospital.
Contact Animal Control if you or your pet is bitten, to assist in capturing the animal for observation and/or rabies testing. Any medical provider who cares for someone who has been bitten by an animal must report the animal bite within 24 hours. The animal bite report form is available on our website at www.buncombecounty.org – under the “I Want to Report” section at the top of the homepage. If the animal is caught and tested and does not have rabies, you will not need to have post-exposure shots.
Animal Control phone numbers:
Asheville City limits - Asheville Police 252-1110
Buncombe County – Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office 250-6670
For rabies issues in Biltmore Forest, Black Mountain, Montreat, Weaverville and Woodfin, call Buncombe County Department of Health 250-5038.
Contact your local health department with questions about rabies exposure. A trained disease control nurse can talk about your exposure with you and help you decide if rabies vaccines are needed. BCHHS Communicable Disease program can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (828) 250-5109.