Utah Administrative Code
Topic - Health
Title R386 - Disease Control and Prevention, Epidemiology
Rule R386-702 - Communicable Disease Rule
Section R386-702-12 - Special Measures for Control of Rabies
Universal Citation: UT Admin Code R 386-702-12
Current through Bulletin 2024-06, March 15, 2024
(1) Rationale of treatment is as follows:
A physician must evaluate individually each exposure to possible rabies infection. The physician shall also consult with local or state public health officials if questions arise about the need for rabies prophylaxis.
(2) Management of biting animals is as follows:
(a) A healthy
dog, cat, or ferret that bites a person shall be confined and observed at least
daily for ten days from the date of bite, regardless of vaccination status, as
specified by local animal control ordinances. It is recommended that rabies
vaccine not be administered during the observation period. Such animals shall
be evaluated by a veterinarian at the first sign of illness during confinement.
A veterinarian or animal control officer shall immediately report any illness
in the animal to the local health department. If signs suggestive of rabies
develop, a veterinarian or animal control officer shall direct that the animal
be euthanized, its head removed, and the head shipped under refrigeration, not
frozen, for examination of the brain by a laboratory approved by the Utah
Department of Health and Human Services.
(b) If the dog, cat, or ferret shows no signs
of rabies or illness during the ten day period, the veterinarian or animal
control officer shall direct that the unvaccinated animal be vaccinated against
rabies at the owner's expense before release to the owner. If a veterinarian is
not available, the animal may be released, but the owner shall have the animal
vaccinated within 72 hours of release. If the dog, cat, or ferret was
appropriately vaccinated against rabies before the incident, the animal may be
released from confinement after the 10-day observation period with no further
restrictions.
(c) Any stray or
unwanted dog, cat, or ferret that bites a person may be euthanized immediately
by a veterinarian or animal control officer, if permitted by local ordinance,
and the head submitted, as described in Subsection
R386-702-12(2)(a),
for rabies examination. If the brain is negative by fluorescent-antibody
examination for rabies, one can assume that the saliva contained no virus, and
the person bitten need not be treated.
(d) Wild animals include raccoons, skunks,
coyotes, foxes, bats, the offspring of wild animals crossbred to domestic dogs
and cats, and any carnivorous animal other than a domestic dog, cat, or
ferret.
(e) Signs of rabies in wild
animals cannot be interpreted reliably. If a wild animal bites or scratches a
person, the person or attending medical personnel shall notify an animal
control or law enforcement officer. A veterinarian, animal control officer or
representative of the Division of Wildlife Resources shall kill the animal at
once, without unnecessary damage to the head, and submit the brain, as
described in Subsection
R386-702-12(2)(a),
for examination for evidence of rabies. If the brain is negative by
fluorescent-antibody examination for rabies, one can assume that the saliva
contained no virus, and the person bitten need not be treated.
(f) Rabbits, opossums, squirrels, chipmunks,
rats, and mice are rarely infected and their bites rarely, if ever, call for
rabies prophylaxis or testing. Unusual exposures to any animal should be
reported to the local health department or the Office of Communicable Diseases,
Utah Department of Health and Human Services.
(g) When rare, valuable, captive wild animals
maintained in zoological parks approved by the United States Department of
Agriculture or research institutions, as defined by Section
26B-1-236, bite or scratch a
human, the Office of Communicable Diseases, Utah Department of Health and Human
Services shall be notified. Subsection
R386-702-12(2)(e)
may be waived by the Office of Communicable Diseases, Utah Department of Health
and Human Services if zoological park operators or research institution
managers can demonstrate that the following rabies control measures are
established:
(i) Employees who work with the
animal have received preexposure rabies immunization.
(ii) The person bitten by the animal
voluntarily agrees to accept post-exposure rabies immunization provided by the
zoological park or research facility.
(iii) The director of the zoological park or
research facility shall direct that the biting animal be held in complete
quarantine for a minimum of four months for dogs and cats, and six months for
ferrets. Quarantine requires that the animal be prohibited from direct contact
with other animals or humans.
(h) Any animal bitten or scratched by a wild,
carnivorous animal or a bat that is not available for testing shall be regarded
as having been exposed to rabies. The animal shall be placed in a strict
quarantine for four months for dogs and cats, or six months for
ferrets.
(i) For maximum protection
of the public health, unvaccinated dogs, cats, and ferrets bitten or scratched
by a confirmed or suspected rabid animal shall be euthanized immediately by a
veterinarian or animal control officer. If the owner is unwilling to have the
animal euthanized, the local health officer shall order that the animal be held
in strict isolation in a municipal or county animal shelter or a veterinary
medical facility approved by the local health department, at the owner's
expense, for at least four months for dogs and cats, and six months for
ferrets. The animal shall be vaccinated one month before being released. If any
illness suggestive of rabies develops in the animal, the veterinarian or animal
control officer shall immediately report the illness to the local health
department and the veterinarian or animal control officer shall direct that the
animal be euthanized and the head shall be handled as described in Subsection
R386-702-12(2)(a).
(j) Dogs, cats, and ferrets that are
currently vaccinated and are bitten by rabid animals, shall be revaccinated
immediately by a veterinarian and confined and observed by the animal's owner
for 45 days. If any illness suggestive of rabies develops in the animal, the
owner shall report immediately to the local health department and the animal
shall be euthanized by a veterinarian or animal control officer and the head
shall be handled as described in Subsection
R386-702-12(2)(a).
(k) Livestock exposed to a rabid animal and
currently vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the United States Department of
Agriculture for that species shall be revaccinated immediately by a
veterinarian and observed by the owner for 45 days. Unvaccinated livestock
shall be slaughtered immediately. If the owner is unwilling to have the animal
slaughtered, the animal shall be kept under close observation by the owner for
six months.
(l) Unvaccinated
animals other than dogs, cats, ferrets, and livestock bitten by a confirmed or
suspected rabid animal shall be euthanized immediately by a veterinarian or
animal control officer.
(3) Testing fees at the Utah Public Health Laboratory are as follows:
(a) Animals being
submitted to UPHL for rabies testing must follow criteria defined in The
Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control to be eligible for testing
without a fee. Testing of animals that fit this criteria will be eligible for a
waived fee for testing. Testing of animals that do not meet this criteria will
incur a testing fee as set forth by UPHL.
(b) The following situations will not incur a
rabies testing fee if testing is ordered for them through UPHL:
(i) Any bat in an instance where a person or
animal has had an exposure, or reasonable probability of exposure, including
known bat bites, exposure to bat saliva, a bat found in a room with a sleeping
person or unattended child, or a bat found near a child or mentally impaired or
intoxicated person.
(ii) Dogs,
cats, or ferrets, regardless of rabies vaccination status, if signs suggestive
of rabies are documented in them.
(iii) Wild mammals and hybrids that expose
persons, pets, or livestock, including skunks, foxes, coyotes, and raccoons,
may be tested.
(iv) Livestock may
be tested if signs suggestive of rabies are documented.
(v) DHHS Office of Communicable Diseases
staff are available to discuss additional situations that may warrant testing
at (801) 538-6191.
(c)
The following situations will incur a $95 testing fee if testing is ordered for
them through UPHL:
(i) Any dog, cat, or
ferret, with unknown or undocumented vaccination history that exposes a person,
if signs suggestive of rabies are not documented, or if the animal has not been
confined and observed for at least 10 days.
(ii) Dogs, cats, and ferrets: currently
vaccinated animals that expose a person, if signs suggestive of rabies are not
documented, or animals have not been confined and observed for at least 10
days.
(iii) Regardless of rabies
vaccination status, a healthy dog, cat, or ferret that has not exposed a
person.
(iv) Small rodents
including rats, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, voles, or moles; and lagomorphs
including rabbits and hares.
(v)
Incomplete paperwork accompanying the sample will also result in a fee for
testing; a thorough description of the situation must be included with each
sample submission.
(vi) DHHS Office
of Communicable Diseases staff are available to discuss additional situations
that may not warrant testing at (801) 538-6191.
(d) If the submitting party feels they are
charged inappropriately for rabies testing, they may send a letter describing
the situation and requesting a waiver for fees to the: Utah Department of
Health and Human Services, Office of Communicable Diseases, P.O. Box 142104,
Salt Lake City, UT 84114, attention: Zoonotic Diseases Epidemiologist.
Information may be submitted electronically via email to: epi@utah.gov, with a
note in the subject line "Attention: Zoonotic Diseases Epidemiologist."
(i) The submitting party has 30 days from
receipt of the testing fee invoice to file an appeal. The letter must include
copies of the original paperwork that was submitted, and a copy of the invoice
received, for a waiver to be considered.
(ii) DHHS and UPHL have 30 days to review
information after receipt of an appeal request to make an official decision and
notify the submitter.
(iii) DHHS
Office of Communicable Diseases staff are available to discuss questions about
testing fees and the appeal process at (801) 538-6191.
(4) Measures for standardized rabies control practices are as follows:
(a)
Humans requiring either pre- or post-exposure rabies prophylaxis shall be
treated in accordance with the recommendations of the U.S. Public Health
Service Immunization Practices Advisory Committee, as incorporated by reference
in Subsection R386-702-18(2).
A copy of the recommendations shall be made available to licensed medical
personnel, upon request to the Office of Communicable Diseases, Utah Department
of Health and Human Services.
(b) A
physician or other health care provider that administers rabies vaccine shall
immediately report serious systemic neuroparalytic or anaphylactic reactions to
rabies vaccine through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System
(VAERS).
(c) The Compendium of
Animal Rabies Prevention and Control, as incorporated by reference in
Subsection R386-702-18(5),
is the reference document for animal vaccine use.
(d) A county, city, town, or other political
subdivision that requires licensure of animals shall also require rabies
vaccination as a prerequisite to obtaining a license.
(e) Animal rabies vaccinations are valid only
if performed by or under the direction of a licensed veterinarian in accordance
with The Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control.
(f) Agencies and veterinarians administering
vaccine shall document each vaccination on the National Association of State
Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) form number 51, Rabies Vaccination
Certificate, that can be obtained from vaccine manufacturers. The agency or
veterinarian shall provide a copy of the report to the animal's owner.
Computer-generated forms containing the same information are also
acceptable.
(g) Animal rabies
vaccines may be sold or otherwise provided only to licensed veterinarians or
veterinary biologic supply firms. Animal rabies vaccine may be purchased by the
Utah Department of Health and Human Services and the Utah Department of
Agriculture and Food.
(5) Measures to prevent or control rabies outbreaks are as follows:
(a) The most important single factor in
preventing human rabies is the maintenance of high levels of immunity in the
pet dog, cat, and ferret populations through vaccination. Vaccination
requirements include:
(i) any dog, cat, and
ferret in Utah should be immunized against rabies by a licensed veterinarian;
and
(ii) local governments should
establish effective programs to ensure vaccination of any dogs, cats, and
ferrets and to remove strays and unwanted animals.
(b) If the Utah Department of Health and
Human Services determines that a rabies outbreak is present in an area of the
state, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services may require that:
(i) any dog, cat, and ferret in that area and
adjacent areas be vaccinated or revaccinated against rabies as appropriate for
each animal's age;
(ii) any such
animal be kept under the control of its owner at all times until the Utah
Department of Health and Human Services declares the outbreak to be
resolved;
(iii) an owner who does
not have an animal vaccinated or revaccinated surrender the animal for
confinement and possible destruction; and
(iv) such animals found at-large be confined
and possibly destroyed.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Utah may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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