5/08/2012at 02:18 AM
Health officials are fanning out to contain a rabies
threat in Chom Thong district after members of a family were bitten by a pet
rabbit infected with the virus.
Deputy Bangkok governor Malinee Sukvejvorakij said the family's members were given rabies injections after their pet rabbit died and posthumously tested positive for the virus.
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) health authorities will meet tomorrow to identify the source of the rabbit's rabies infection so they can prevent a possible epidemic.
Their search will probably include a trip to Chatuchak Weekend Market, where the infected rabbit was bought.
The other rabbit, a female, died from diarrhoea shortly after it arrived at their house. Poko, a male, then exhibited strange behaviour after the family bought a second female rabbit from the Sanam Luang II market in Thawi Watthana district, Mr Samruay told Dr Phinai.
Mr Samruay said Poko began biting the feet of family members starting around June 10. The family eventually had to put the rabbit in a kennel.
Mr Samruay's son bled after being bitten by Poko while feeding the rabbit _ he has since received anti-rabies shots.
The animal died on July 28. The next day, the female rabbit also died.
Mr Samruay's family suspected Poko carried rabies and sent its carcass to the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute for examination. The rabies test came back positive. The female rabbit's carcass was not sent for examination.
Mr Samruay and his family received shots from the hospital, but he worried he may have received the injection too late as he was bitten several days before. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/306009/bma-on-rabies-alert-after-rabbit-bites-family
Dr Malinee said he knew of no rabies infections to have been reported among rabbits in Thailand before this case.
