USDA scattering rabies vaccines for wildlife in 13 states

By JANET McCONNAUGHEY
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The U.S. government has begun scattering millions of packets of oral rabies vaccine from helicopters and planes in 13 states from Maine to Alabama. The major aim is to help keep raccoons from spreading their variant of the deadly virus to states where it’s less prevalent. The government is also continuing tests of a vaccine that Canada has approved to immunize skunks as well as raccoons. Rabies is generally spread through an infected animal’s saliva. In the U.S., pet vaccination laws mean it’s mostly spread by wildlife. Federal experts say 60,000 Americans a year get rabies shots after being bitten or scratched by an animal that’s infected or might be.