Google News 09/27: Dead skunk tests positive for rabies

Parasites, sickness, and the cruelty of nature

In a bit of local news today, the Oakland County Health Division recently announced that a dead skunk found in Southfield, Michigan tested positive for rabies. It still isn’t clear whether the viral disease also killed multiple other skunks spotted in the same area; in the meantime, officials are warning residents to take precautions like vaccinating their pets and calling animal control on sick-looking wildlife.

Rabies is a particularly nasty disease that targets the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord, and has the potential to infect all warm-blooded mammals. Animal bites and scratches are the most common source of infection among humans. Symptoms begin as a fever and tingling in the affected area, which eventually progresses to muscle spasms, paralysis, delirium, coma, and death. The disease has a very high mortality rate: to date, less than 20 people have been cured of it after symptoms developed.

Hydrophobia, or fear of water, is a classic feature of rabies and occurs when the virus accumulates in the salivary glands of the victim. This causes intense spasms and paralysis of the larynx, making it difficult to swallow; in this state, even mentioning liquids or the act of drinking is enough…