Are there still any foxes with rabies? | |||
Vaccinating foxes against rabies has proved effective on an international level. The dreaded animal disease is now largely under control in Western Europe. Nevertheless, it is still important to keep away from foxes and if bitten, consult a doctor at once. | |||
< questions | links > | The fox is the main carrier
of rabies in Europe. The virus is transmitted via saliva, for instance through
bites while fighting. The infected fox loses its natural wariness, strays into
territory belonging to other foxes that then attack it. The animals bite each
other, thereby helping the disease to spread. Rabies epidemics in the last century Rabies swept through Europe in waves from the 1960s till into the 1980s (animation by the Swiss Rabies Centre). Initial attempts to fight the disease by reducing the fox population through intensive hunting or gassing out dens proved to be inefficient and rabies epidemics kept flaring up at regular intervals in different regions. Successful results with vaccine bait Towards the end of the 1970s experiments were made with vaccine bait laid out for foxes. This strategy poved a highly effective method of immunization. As a result, since the 1990s fox populations in many regions are entirely free of rabies. However, although foxes are now rabies-free, this does not exclude the possibility - however slight - of bats becoming infested with the disease. Normally, rabid foxes lose their natural shyness, hence the rule, “a friendly fox is a rabid fox” which was in everybody’s mouth for a long time. Since rabies is hardly a threat in Western Europe any more and foxes have spread throughout urban areas where they have become used to living among humans, this rule no longer applies. Nonetheless, people should still be wary of friendly foxes and if bitten, immediately consult a doctor. Moreover, animals with suspected rabies symptoms must be examined. In such cases please consult the local authorities. Information on the prevalence of rabies in different countries and advice for travellers: Rabies Information Systems of the World Health Organization WHO More information by the Swiss Rabies Center, Berne and the Rabies Bulletin Europe Related questions Why has the fox lost so much weight? Why does the fox look so scruffy and scabby? How long have foxes been living in urban areas? Are there too many foxes in urban areas? Do foxes attack humans? home | © |