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Cat with rabies sparks health department caution
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A rabid cat in Swissvale sparked a health warning from the Allegheny County Health Department Thursday.
Anyone who may have been bitten by a gray cat in or near the 7300 block of Denniston Ave. in Swissvale between Nov. 16 and Nov. 26, is asked to call health officials immediately at 412-687-ACHD.
The cat tested positive for rabies after biting a woman Monday. The woman is being treated with an anti-rabies vaccine.
As of Aug. 12, "no one in the United States has developed rabies when given the vaccine promptly and appropriately," reports the National Institutes of Health.
But if left untreated, rabies usually leads to death.
Rabies is spread most often by dog bites. But bats, foxes, skunks, raccoons and cats also can be rabid. The cat is the 16th rabid animal to be reported in Allegheny County this year. There have been eight raccoons and seven bats.
First Published November 30, 2012 12:00 am
