Recent surveillance for rabies in the raccoon population near Columbiana in Shelby County has revealed three positive cases. The current area of focus includes a two-mile radius around the Beeswax Creek boat launch area, where the most recent of the positive raccoons was discovered.

The ongoing surveillance is being conducted by the USDA Wildlife Services (WS) along with the Alabama Department of Public Health. The surveillance began in response to a rabid puppy found in February that was confirmed to be infected with a raccoon variant of the rabies virus.

The primary concern is that these positive cases have been found in an area where raccoon rabies is not typically found. According to Dana Johnson, a USDA WS biologist, the primary focus will be expanding the surveillance areas to try to determine the extent that the rabies virus has spread.

Agriculture & Industries Commissioner John McMillan announced that since June, several positive cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) have been found in Alabama in birds and horses.

“We are entering into the time of year that makes us extremely vulnerable to the spread of mosquito-borne viruses and we need to protect our livestock and ourselves” stated McMillan. “I want to encourage horse owners to vaccinate their horses for both EEE and West Nile Virus as soon as possible.”

The Department of Agriculture and Industries Food Safety inspectors continue to conduct effectiveness checks on several varieties of pet food that have been recalled after Salmonella was detected during retail surveillance sampling. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and state and local officials to investigate a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Infantis infections. A total of 14 individuals infected with the outbreak strain have been reported from nine states.