Interior Health is warning people in the Kootenay Lake region to avoid contact with skunks after rabies was confirmed in an animal in the area.
The health authority and the B.C. Centre for Disease Control confirmed the case Sept. 17. Interior Health said the skunk is believed to have been infectious between Aug. 15 and Sept. 4.
A small number of people who may have been exposed in the Kootenay Lake region have been assessed and treated, according to Interior Health.
The health authority is asking anyone who had contact with a skunk in the region to come forward for an assessment.
Anyone bitten or scratched by a skunk should immediately contact their local public health office, primary care provider or emergency department, particularly if the contact occurred after Aug. 15.
People who had other interactions with skunks, including contact without a bite or scratch, can contact HealthLink BC at 811 or visit the Interior Health website to determine whether a medical assessment is needed.
Pets or other domestic animals bitten or scratched by a skunk should be examined by a veterinarian.
Rabies is a viral infection that affects the brain and nervous system. The virus is found in the saliva and nervous system tissue of infected animals and is usually transmitted through a bite or, less commonly, a scratch.
Interior Health said rabies is not transmitted through exposure to the spray, urine or feces of infected skunks in B.C.
Bats are the only known rabies reservoir in B.C., although the virus can occasionally spread to other animal species, including skunks.
Human rabies infections are extremely rare in B.C. The infection is almost always fatal if it is not treated in time, but illness can be prevented following an exposure with prompt medical treatment.
Interior Health recommends people avoid approaching, touching or feeding wild or unfamiliar animals and avoid handling dead animals or bats.
Anyone bitten or scratched by a bat, skunk or other wild animal should wash the wound with soap and warm water for at least 15 minutes and immediately seek medical care.
The confirmed case is also prompting a warning for pet owners in the Kootenays.
Selkirk Veterinary Hospital in Nelson issued an alert following the positive test, noting rabies remains rare in the region but can have serious consequences.
“While rare in our area, rabies is a fatal virus with devastating consequences. Protecting your pets with vaccination and using precautions with wild animals are both ways to help reduce your risk,” the clinc said.
The clinic said the virus is spread when saliva from an infected animal enters the body, most commonly through a bite. It can also be transmitted through scratches or when infected saliva comes into contact with an open wound or the eyes, nose or mouth.
Pet owners are being encouraged to make sure their animals’ rabies vaccinations are up to date, supervise pets outdoors and keep them away from wildlife.
The positive skunk represents a rare local reminder that rabies can spill over from bats into other wildlife in the Kootenay region, potentially putting pets and people who come into contact with infected animals at risk.
Anyone who sees a skunk or other wild animal behaving abnormally can report it to the B.C. Report All Poachers and Polluters line at 1-877-952-7277.
