112th Year, 51st Issue Thursday, August 2, 2001 Sparta, North Carolina

State lab changes rabies protocol

An overworked State Laboratory of Public Health (SLPH) is planning on enforcing orders that will make fewer rabies tests available to local residents.

The lab will more strictly enforce a policy adopted about a year ago that states only animals that have bitten a person or a pet will be tested for rabies.

The only exception to this policy is bats. Bats that have any interaction with humans should be submitted for testing, even if the contact doesn't directly involve a bite. According to the policy, bats should be tested if they are handled by a human and a bite cannot be ruled out or if they are found to be in a domicile with access to humans while they are asleep, incapacitated or unconscious.
 
 

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