Snakes, ticks, rabies: What to know about summer outdoors

Published 6:00 am Thursday, July 12, 2018

Summer sends plenty of people outdoors to enjoy all kinds of activities, but there are dangers lurking alongside the fun days in the warm recreational season.

South Alabama residents have witnessed a series of attacks by foxes, prompting fears of rabies and leading to at least two people seeking treatment.

In both cases, the aggressive fox reportedly attacked without being provoked.

In addition to the presence of rabies among mammals, there are also risks of ticks, snakes and mosquitos to contend with throughout the season.

But that doesn’t mean you’ve got to stay at home. Just be careful and know what to do to avoid problems from such risks.

The rabies virus is transmitted by saliva. In general, rabies exposure requires direct contact with infected saliva, usually through a bite or a scratch, but other less common contact exposures with mucous membranes (eyes, nose and mouth) are also considered as potential exposures, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.

“This situation is very alarming, especially since these bites have taken place in densely populated areas,” said ADPH Environmental Director Greg Dunn, Southwestern District. “Five people in Baldwin County have been bitten by rabid foxes since May 21.”

The foxes suspected in the attacks in Baldwin County were reportedly gray foxes, which are more common to that region. North Alabama is home to a large population of red foxes, but the risk is the same.

“Rabies prevention is multifaceted; it involves people taking precautions with wildlife, making sure their pets are current on rabies vaccinations, and always reporting an animal bite or other exposure to their medical provider or the health department,” said state Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Dee W. Jones.

The best advice for avoiding rabies is to avoid contact with animals such as raccoons, skunks, foxes, bats, coyotes, stray dogs and cats. Rabies is a virus that affects mammals. Anyone who is bitten, whether by a neighborhood or stray dog or any animal, should immediately report the incident to animal control officers and immediately seek medical assistance.

Cullman Regional Emergency Department Manager Chad Knop, RN, said any animal showing aggressive or odd behavior should be reported to Cullman County Animal Control at 256-734-5448, the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office (256-734-2400) or Cullman Police Department (256-734-1434).

“Any patient who presents with an animal bite of any kind receives a rabies vaccine if we cannot determine with certainty that the animal did not have rabies. Since January of 2018, we have given 16 rabies vaccinations,” Knop said.

As of July 6, the ADPH has confirmed 20 animals testing positive for rabies, ranging from Marshall County to Baldwin County. Leading the way were 11 raccoons, five foxes, two skunks and two bats. Last year, 51 cases were confirmed. Dogs and cats have sometimes been diagnosed, but health officials say that annual vaccinations for pets largely protects them from the virus. The last confirmed case in Cullman County was a bat in 2014.

While rabies has long been a feared virus, nothing seems to excite people more than the presence of a large snake during warm weather.

Dozens of people are bitten by snakes each in Alabama. The most dangerous are rattlesnake varieties, cottonmouths, copperheads and coral snakes. Without medical attention, a victim can die.

Snakes begin appearing commonly in March and can be found with temperatures as low as 34 degrees in the morning and in the 60s during the afternoon. As spring progresses, every variety found in Alabama can be found in abundance.

But health officials advise that being watchful and using common sense are the best ways to avoid a bite.

“In general, snakes don’t prefer to be around humans either; therefore, you should never pursue them if you see one. You should also avoid tall grassy areas, and always check around things before placing your hand, foot, etc. into a place where you cannot fully see what could be hiding out of sight,” Knop said.

A Mountain Brook girl was bitten by a copperhead in June as she started to get into a swimming pool. Again, the key is to look. Snakes can find their way into pools, garages, around old lumber piles and even toys left outside, often seeking shelter.

Cullman Regional keeps the anti-venom CroFab on hand for treatment of venomous snake bites. 

And finally, there is a high risk of ticks in the summer, especially for anyone who spends a lot of time outside, particularly in heavily wooded areas. Knop said the best practice after outdoor activities is to do a thorough physical examination to make sure no ticks have attached to your body. 

Sometimes, the ticks can get full and fall off on their own, but that is rare, he said.

A tick bite looks generally like a reddened ring where the tick has been on the skin. Cullman Regional’s Emergency Department deals with this frequently.

“Most of the time they have attached themselves onto people when they come to us,” Knop said. “We test anyone with a suspected tick bite for Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. These tests have to be sent out for lab results; therefore, we always treat anyone with suspected cases prophylactically, and follow-up with them after the test results are received back from our lab to let the patients know for sure.”

Alabama is loaded with recreational opportunities with its abundance of woods, rivers and lakes, and health officials said it all can be enjoyed with caution. Many wild animals, such as varieties of the fox, coyotes and raccoons, are being seen in city neighborhoods. They should simply be avoided and reported to animal control officials.

David Palmer may be contacted at 256-734-2131, ext. 116.