Island Health Resolves Rare Rabies Scare in British Columbia

Island Health has clarified the recent confusion surrounding a rabies scare in Chemainus, British Columbia. A kitten initially tested positive for rabies last month, prompting public health authorities to issue alerts and recommend rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for about 20 individuals. Subsequent testing revealed that the initial result was a rare false positive, and the kitten did not have rabies.

The incident began in early July 2023 when several feral kittens were rescued from a wooded area near the 8000 block of Chemainus Road. One kitten exhibited neurological symptoms, leading a veterinarian to make the decision to euthanize the animal and test for rabies. The initial test was conducted at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) rabies lab in Lethbridge, Alberta, using a fluorescent antibody test.

Dr. Charmaine Enns, the medical health officer for North Island and the Alberni West Coast, explained the testing process, stating, “The technician who looked at the test saw something fluoresce and reported a positive test.” This test, although reliable, led to a swift public health response due to the fatal nature of rabies once symptoms appear.

Given the positive test result, Island Health took immediate action, advising those exposed to receive rabies vaccinations and, where appropriate, a dose of rabies immune globulin. Enns confirmed that everyone offered the vaccine accepted the treatment, emphasizing its importance despite potential side effects. “There is no contraindication to rabies vaccine if you’ve had an exposure that warrants it, because no reaction is as bad as getting rabies,” she said.

Following the initial positive result, CFIA conducted extensive follow-up testing to confirm the rabies strain and trace its origin. Enns noted that this thorough analysis is standard practice when a non-bat species tests positive. “They did weeks of testing to ensure accuracy,” she said. Ultimately, all subsequent tests confirmed the absence of the rabies virus, indicating the kitten did not have rabies.

Enns highlighted that such false positives are exceptionally rare, with only three documented cases in Canada over the past two decades. “I’ve been a medical health officer for 22 years. I’ll never see this again in my career,” she remarked. For context, the last confirmed case of rabies in a domestic animal in British Columbia was in 2007, linked to a rabid bat.

Bats remain the only known carriers of rabies in British Columbia, with Enns stating that since the 1960s, only seven non-bat animals have tested positive, all linked to bat variant rabies. She emphasized that rabies transmission from bats to other species, and subsequently to humans, is “almost unheard of.”

Despite the rarity of such cases, Enns explained that the decision to offer prophylaxis was based on the potential risk of rabies infection. “With rabies, because there is no treatment and it’s invariably fatal if you’re infected, it’s risk versus benefit,” she said.

In light of the situation, Enns hopes the public views the incident as a testament to the effectiveness of the health system in responding to potential health threats. “We made decisions based on the first test results. And when exhaustive testing confirmed it was a false positive, we told the public. That’s the system working,” she stated.

For additional information on rabies and its prevention in British Columbia, residents are encouraged to visit Island Health’s official website.