France - Var: a case of rabies in a puppy illegally imported from Morocco

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VAR: A CASE OF RABIES IN A PUPPY “ILLEGALLY IMPORTED FROM MOROCCO”, THE AUTHORITIES CALL FOR VIGILANCE

Tom Kerkour

THE 01/16/2024 at 3:37 p.m..

A 4-month-old border collie puppy died of rabies in the Var. An animal imported illegally from Morocco and died thirteen days after its arrival in France. The authorities are renewing their calls for vigilance.

In the Var, a 4-month-old puppy died of rabies on December 29. This information, first relayed by La Dépêche Vétérinaire , was confirmed by the Ministry of Agriculture this Tuesday, January 16.

The animal, a very young border collie, had been “illegally imported from Morocco” 13 days earlier, on December 16. The diagnosis of rabies, a disease supposed to be completely absent on our soil, was confirmed by a laboratory in Nancy (Meurthe-et-Moselle).

Contacts with this deadly disease, both in humans and other animals, have already been identified. According to France 3 , a specialized veterinary assistant was bitten by the young dog. No information on his condition was provided by the various authorities contacted by BFMTV.com.

“Rabies is “a disease that is systematically fatal once symptoms appear, both in humans and animals,” recalls the ministry website.​

A woman recently died in Reims on October 9, two months after being injured by a wild cat in North Africa. Another 60,000 people die from this disease each year worldwide according to the Pasteur Institute. Deaths mainly concentrated in Asia and Africa.

Call for vigilance

As the National Order of Veterinarians explains to BFMTV.com, France has been free of rabies for more than two decades:

"Since 2001, a dozen cases of rabies have been diagnosed in dogs or cats in France. Most of the cases were directly or indirectly linked to the irregular importation of a dog or cat from a countries where this disease is prevalent.​

Contaminated cats and dogs imported from Algeria, Morocco or Gambia to France have been recorded in recent years. Animals that died from their infection or were slaughtered, as required by law, unless they had already been vaccinated against rabies.
As the Ministry of Agriculture reminds us, "it is prohibited to bring dogs and cats back to French territory" if they do not hold a "vaccination record and a health certificate established by the country's health authorities ".

Tom Kerkour


https://www.bfmtv.com/sante/var-un-...appellent-a-la-vigilance_AN-202401160642.html

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January 16, 2024 Press release

Case of rabies in a puppy illegally imported from Morocco: reminder of the risks of rabies when introducing pets from infected countries


A case of rabies in a puppy in Var (83) was confirmed on January 5, 2024 by the National Rabies Reference Laboratory in Nancy. The animal, illegally imported from Morocco, died thirteen days after its introduction into the territory.

All people exposed to the animal were contacted by the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regional Health Agency and taken care of by an anti-rabies center .

Rabies is a disease that is systematically fatal once symptoms appear, both in humans and animals. Human contamination occurs by bite, scratch, licking by an animal, by means of saliva on damaged skin or on the mucous membrane (eye, mouth). The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that tens of thousands of people die from rabies worldwide each year. France is officially recognized as rabies-free (excluding bats), but the disease continues to circulate in many countries, particularly in Asia and Africa, where dogs remain responsible for the majority of cases of transmission to humans. Only vaccination and compliance with precise safety instructions can protect animals and people.

Veterinarians are on the front line in the surveillance and detection system for possible cases of rabies in France. They are the preferred contacts to support animal owners in disease prevention. Any animal that has bitten or scratched a person, even without being explicitly suspected of rabies, is subject to veterinary surveillance for 15 days to assess the risk of contamination.

Reminder of safety instructions when traveling

• During a stay abroad in a country at risk: it is strongly recommended not to touch a stray animal or an animal that may have been in contact with stray animals and especially not to bring any with you. Such an animal can in fact become infected without immediately showing apparent symptoms and transmit the disease to other animals or people. In the event of contact with a stray animal, quickly contact a rabies center.

It is prohibited to bring dogs and cats back into French territory except under the following health conditions. The animal:

• is identified;
• has a vaccination record and a health certificate established by the country's health authorities;
• has a valid rabies vaccination [SUP][1][/SUP] ;
• and, for certain third countries at risk of rabies, has had a blood test to verify their protection against rabies at least 3 months before their arrival in the European Union; this protection must be attested in a health certificate accompanying the animal, established by an official veterinarian of the country of origin (most often state veterinarian).

Failure to comply with these regulatory requirements is subject to fines. As a precautionary measure, you should inquire about the health conditions and procedures for introducing or importing pets into France from the French health authorities (French embassy, ​​departmental veterinary services - DDecPP), Ministry of Health. Agriculture (Directorate General of Food).

To travel with your pet outside the territory , preliminary steps are required:

• contact your veterinarian early enough before departure (1 to 4 months depending on the destination);
• the animal must be identified and accompanied by its health certificate;
• the animal's vaccinations must be up to date, particularly against rabies;
• a blood test is necessary to measure the antibodies protecting against rabies, before traveling to certain countries at risk.

When returning to France, you must present your pet to the customs authorities. Failure to comply with regulatory obligations is punishable by criminal sanctions (six months' imprisonment and fine of 3,750 euros, article L228-1 of the Rural and Maritime Fishing Code).

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https://agriculture.gouv.fr/cas-de-...oc-rappel-des-risques-vis-vis-de-la-rage-lors