Public health implications of an outbreak of rabies in arctic foxes and reindeer in the Svalbard archipelago, Norway, September 2011

• Published in: Euro surveillance : bulletin européen sur les maladies transmissibles Vol. 16; no. 40; p. 2
• Main Authors: Macdonald, E, Handeland, K, Blystad, H, Bergsaker, M, Fladberg, M, Gjerset, B, Nilsen, O, Os, H, Sandbu, S, Stokke, E, Vold, L, Ørpetveit, I, Gaup Amot, H, Tveiten, O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sweden Centre Europeen pour la Surveillance Epidemiologique du SIDA (European Centre for the Epidemiological Monitoring of AIDS) 06.10.2011
• Subjects: Animals; Bites and Stings; Central Nervous System - virology; Disease Outbreaks - veterinary; Dogs; Endemic Diseases; Epidemics; Female; Food Contamination; Foxes; Foxes - virology; Humans; Immunization Programs; Immunization, Passive; Meat; Medical diagnosis; Norway - epidemiology; Post-Exposure Prophylaxis; Public Health; Rabies; Rabies - diagnosis; Rabies - epidemiology; Rabies - prevention & control; Rabies - transmission; Rabies - veterinary; Rabies Vaccines; Rabies virus - isolation & purification; Reindeer - virology; Risk assessment; Saliva - virology; Norway
• ISSN: 1560-7917; 1025-496X; 1560-7917
• DOI: 10.2807/ese.16.40.19985-en

Between 16 September and 5 October 2011 rabies was diagnosed in two arctic foxes and eight reindeer in the Svalbard archipelago, in Norway. This outbreak occurs at the end of the reindeer hunting season and poses an increased risk to many people that were involved in the hunt. As of 28 September 2011, 280 people had received post-exposure prophylaxis. No human cases of rabies have occurred.