37.114.571    RABIES EXPOSURE

(1) Control measures outlined in the Control of Communicable Diseases Manual must be applied for confirmed or suspected exposures to a human by a species susceptible to rabies infection.

(2) The local health officer must investigate each report of possible rabies exposure and gather, at a minimum, information about the circumstances of the possible rabies exposure; nature of the exposure; name, age, and address of the exposed individual; vaccination status of the animal in question; treatment of the exposed person; and eventual outcome for both animal and person involved.

(3) As soon as possible, after investigating a report of possible rabies exposure, the local health officer must inform the exposed person or the individual responsible for the exposed person if that person is a minor, whether or not treatment is recommended to prevent rabies and provide a referral to a health care provider.

(4) Whenever the circumstances involve a dog, cat, or ferret, the local health officer must:

(a) arrange for the animal to be observed for signs of illness during a ten-day observation period at an animal shelter, veterinary facility, or other adequate facility, and ensure that any illness in the animal during the confinement or before release is evaluated by a veterinarian for signs suggestive of rabies; and

(b) if the symptoms observed are consistent with rabies, order the animal euthanized and the head sent to the Department of Livestock's diagnostic laboratory in Bozeman for rabies analysis. The local health officer may also order an animal euthanized subsequent to isolation, and the brain analyzed. 

 

History: 50-1-202, 50-2-118, MCA; IMP, 50-1-202, 50-2-118, MCA; NEW, 1987 MAR p. 2147, Eff. 11/28/87; AMD, 2000 MAR p. 2528, Eff. 9/22/00; TRANS, from DHES, 2002 MAR p. 913; AMD, 2013 MAR p. 967, Eff. 6/7/13; AMD, 2017 MAR p. 343, Eff. 3/25/17; AMD, 2019 MAR p. 1745, Eff. 1/1/20.