Raccoon that bit resident is found to have rabies

EAST BRUNSWICK — An aggressive raccoon that bit a resident last week tested positive for rabies.

The resident was bitten Dec. 16 while in the garage of a home in the area of Vauxhall and University roads, according to Middlesex County Public Health Department Director David A. Papi.

The resident tried to fight off the lunging raccoon with a broom, but fell to the ground and was bitten. The resident called the police department, and responding officers searched a few neighboring properties before locating and seizing the animal. The raccoon was then sent to a state laboratory for testing, and it was reported the following day that it tested positive for rabies, according to Papi’s office.

The homeowner who was bitten was advised to consult a physician, and the county health department distributed rabies advisory fliers in the area. There were no other known exposures to the rabid animal, according to the department.

The raccoon is the 11th rabid animal reportedwithinMiddlesex County in 2008, and the third rabid animal reported in East Brunswick.

“The Middlesex County Public Health Department continues to monitor rabies cases within the county,” Papi said in a statement. “Residents should report wild animals showing signs of unusual behavior, and have their pets receive their rabies vaccination. Additionally, it is recommended that residents should avoid contact with wild animals and immediately report any bites from wild or domestic animals to your local health department and consult a physician as soon as possible. Finally, be sure that all family pets are up to date on their rabies vaccinations and licenses.”

Rabies is caused by a virus that can infect all warm-blooded mammals, including man. The rabies virus is found in the saliva of a rabid animal and is transmitted by a bite, or possibly by contamination of an open cut. New Jersey is enzootic for raccoon and bat variants of rabies. Bats, raccoons, skunks, groundhogs, foxes, cats, and dogs represent about 95 percent of animals diagnosed with rabies in the United States.

Signs that an animal may have rabies include moving slowly or having difficulty moving, increased drooling, aggressive actions, sick appearance, problems swallowing, and biting at everything if excited.