What to do if you’re bitten  

A recent case of rabies diagnosed in a Marstons Mills man and confirmed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to be the first human case contracted in the state since 1935 proved fatal last month. the reported cause of death was rabies encephalitis.

Kevin A. Galvin, 63, was hospitalized in critical condition after beginning to show symptoms in late December, about one month after being bitten by a small brown bat at his home.

Rabies is a neurological virus that causes death by interrupting commands from the brain to vital organs, including the diaphragm and heart. the cause of death may vary from abnormal heartbeat to inability to breathe normally, usually within a few days of the appearance of symptoms like headache, fever, acute pain, uncontrollable excitement, violent movements, depression, mania and hydrophobia.

Chatham Animal Control Officer Meg McDonough regularly responds to calls from concerned individuals and tests up to eight bats each year for rabies.

“I was just as surprised to hear about this rabies diagnosis as you,” McDonough said. “In my 19 years here, testing bats every year, I’ve never had a positive test result indicating that the animal had rabies.”

McDonough advises anyone who wakes up to discover a bat in their bedroom or who discovers a bat in the room of a child to capture the animal if possible and call to have it tested. the method of capture, however, is important. Contact with the animal must be avoided, yet the animal must be collected intact for testing.

“In many cases the bat is smacked with a tennis racquet, and what remains is not viable for examination,” McDonough said. “I recommend using a trash can and a piece of cardboard over the top, or you can simply throw a towel over the top of the bat or contain it in a room with towels under the door before calling animal control or a pest control company.”

Many times McDonough arrives on the scene, sometimes at 3 a.m., only to discover that the bat contained in a room has exited as mysteriously as it appeared.

“Talk to your physician in that case,” she advised. “the way the state looks at it is if the bat gets away or the brain can’t be looked at, the person who suspects exposure should get post-exposure vaccines. In any case I deal with, I tell people to consult with their own personal physician. It’s up to the person, his or her doctor and the state epidemiology lab. I don’t think rabies is as common in bats as we fear, but you always have to err on the side of caution.”

Only a handful of rabies cases are diagnosed in humans in the United States each year, most of which are the result of exposure to infected bats. since rabies was discovered in bats in Massachusetts in 1961, approximately 5 percent of bats tested by the Department of Public Health Hinton State Laboratory Institute test positive for rabies.

Raccoon rabies was discovered in Massachusetts in 1992. In the past decade, over 5,000 animals have tested positive for this strain of rabies, including bats, foxes, raccoons, skunks and woodchucks. Pets, especially cats, and other domestic animals may contract this strain of rabies, but only one case has been confirmed in a human.

Since 1994, the Cape Cod Oral Rabies Vaccine Program, conducted by the Cape Cod Rabies Task Force with support from the US Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services, has distributed rabies vaccine baits in an effort to reduce rabies infections in local wildlife. at first, the fishy-smelling baits were distributed only in areas alongside the Cape Cod Canal in an attempt to keep rabies off the Cape entirely. the baiting area expanded after the first case of raccoon rabies was found in Bourne in 2004, and by 2006 both rabies cases and rabies baiting expanded to towns Cape-wide. Baits are now distributed bi-annually throughout Cape Cod.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health advises individuals who believe they have been bitten by a bat or other animal to wash the wound with soap and water for ten minutes and call a physician to determine whether or not a treatment for rabies exposure is recommended.

Information about rabies is available at mass.gov/dph/rabies.

This article first appeared in The Cape Cod Chronicle.

As we mentioned in previous articles we know that the American diet contains high saturated fat, trans fat, and other harmful substances such as sugar, caffeine, pesticides, additive substances, and less in fruits and vegetables. these types of harmful substances are toxic. our body’s detoxifying functions try to get rid of them everyday, when they fail it causes a disruption of hormone production, damaging our body’s detoxification organs and weakening our immune system resulting in hormone imbalance and many chronic illness consequently. in this article, we will discuss symptoms of body toxins.

In fact, our body toxins are removed by some vital organs such as the liver, kidney and skin. if one of these organs start to malfunction, others must take the toxins and remove them. in many case our body cannot completely remove all the toxins causing accumulation of toxic substances in our body resulting in chronic illness.

1. LiverThe liver plays a major role in metabolism, it has a number of functions in the body. it also is among the few internal human organs capable of natural regeneration of lost tissue. Liver has a vital function in removing toxins in our body. Overdose of medication, vitamin A and other substances damages the normal function.Symptoms of a weakened liver includes:a) Arthritis b) Pale or Brittle nails c) Unable to sleepd) Bitter taste in the mouthe) Limited muscle flexibility

2. KidneyWorks together with the Liver in removing toxins from our diet including overdose of medication through urinary extraction. The kidneys also make hormones that control blood pressure, bone maintenance, and the production of red blood cells. Most cases of kidney disease are caused by high blood pressure, kidney inflammation and hardening of arterial walls. Symptoms of a weakened kidney includes:a) Sexual dysfunction b) Mental retardation c) Low grade back pain d) Weakness of knee and leg e) Frequent urination

3. SkinSkin is the largest organ of the integumentary system made up of multiple layers of epithelial tissues. it also is the third system helping to remove toxins from our body, if the liver and kidney cannot completely remove them. Symptoms of toxic skin include:a) Skin rashes caused by vitiligo and psoriasisb) Red, itchy rashc) Inflammationd) Temporary disability

4. IntestineIntestine includes 2 parts *the small intestine is further subdivided into the doudenum, jejunum and ileum. it helps to digest materials passing through and from where nutrients are absorbed. * the large intestine is subdivided into the cecum and colo. it helps to absorb water from digested material and any nutrients that may have escaped primary digestion in the ileum.Symptoms of dysfunction of the intestine include:a) Abdominal painb) Peripheral vision losses, night vision lossesc) Weight lossd) Upset stomach, fever, earache, headachee) Bowel obstructionf) Muscle spasms and cramps

5. ColonThe colon is the last portion of the digestive system. it helps to extract water and salt from solid waste before eliminating them from the body. Symptoms of a malfunctioning colon include:a) Memory lossb) Inability to concentrate and confusionc) Joint paind) Weakening the colon’s ability to properly eliminate all the waste materialsf) Autointoxication or self-poisoning.

6. BloodIf the liver, kidney and skin cannot completely remove toxins, then they remain in the bloodstream causing blood to thicken, and become sticky and clotted resulting in inflammation of blood vessels and buildup of plaque. Symptoms of poisoned blood include:a) Illusionb) Confusionc) Black Stewd) Black skine) Inflammation

7. LungThe lung is the essential respiration organ. it helps to transport oxygen into the bloodstream, and to release carbon dioxide from the bloodstream into the atmosphere. Symptoms of a weakened lung include:a) Build-up of mucusb) Irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, lips and tonguec) Blockage of air wayd) Sudden illnesse) Chronic cough f) Tiredness or depression

I hope this information will help to rejuvenate your health, if you need more information of the above subject, please follow my series of the above subject at my home page at:medicaladvisorjournals.blogspot.comdetoxification09.blogspot.comdetoxification08.blogspot.com

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