title: Rabies in a Dog Imported from Egypt with a Falsified Rabies Vaccination Certificate--Virginia, 2015.
abstract: Canine rabies virus variant has been eliminated in the United States and multiple other countries. Globally, however, dogs remain the principal source for human rabies infections. The World Health Organization recommends that when dogs cross international borders, national importing authorities should require an international veterinary certificate attesting that the animal did not show signs of rabies at the time of shipment, was permanently identified, vaccinated, or revaccinated, and had been subjected to a serologic test for rabies before shipment. On June 8, 2015, an adult female dog that had recently been picked up from the streets of Cairo, Egypt, and shipped by a U.S. animal rescue organization to the United States was confirmed to have rabies by the Virginia Department of General Services Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS). This dog was part of a large shipment of dogs and cats from Egypt that rescue organizations had distributed to multiple states for adoption. During the investigation, public health officials learned that the rabies vaccination certificate used for entry of the rabid dog into the United States had intentionally been falsified to avoid exclusion of the dog from entry under CDC's current dog importation regulations. This report underscores the ongoing risk posed by U.S. importation of domestic animals that have not been adequately vaccinated against rabies.
authors.forename: Julie R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Sinclair
authors.forename: Ryan M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gruszynski
authors.forename: Marilyn Bibbs
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Shereen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Semple
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Innes
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Slavinski
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palumbo
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bair-Brake
authors.forename: Lillian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Orciari
authors.forename: Rene E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Condori
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Langer
authors.forename: Darin S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004285:Dogs; D004534:Egypt; D005260:Female; D005607:Fraud; D006801:Humans; D011634:Public Health; D011818:Rabies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D011819:Rabies Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011996:Records / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D018635:Rescue Work; D014195:Travel; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary*; D014768:Virginia
chemical_list: D011819:Rabies Vaccines