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Volume 18, Number 6—June 2012
Research

Community Survey after Rabies Outbreaks, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA

Andrea M. McCollumComments to Author , Jesse D. Blanton, Robert C. Holman, Laura S. Callinan, Steven Baty, Randy Phillips, Michael Callahan, Craig Levy, Ken Komatsu, Rebecca Sunenshine, David L. Bergman, and Charles E. Rupprecht
Author affiliations: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA (A.M. McCollum, J.D. Blanton, R.C. Holman, L.S. Callinan, S. Baty, C.E. Rupprecht, R. Sunenshine); Arizona Department of Health Services, Phoenix, Arizona, USA (S. Baty, C. Levy, K. Komatsu); Coconino County Public Health Services District, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA (R. Phillips, M. Callahan); US Department of Agriculture, Phoenix (D.L. Bergman)

Main Article

Table A1

Univariate analysis of respondents’ rabies knowledge in Flagstaff, pet ownership, dog ownership, and translocation, with demographic and rabies-related characteristics *

Characteristic No. (%)
Years lived in Flagstaff
<2 53 (5)
3–9 218 (21)
>10 765 (74)
Live in Flagstaff year-round
No 25 (2)
Yes 1019 (98)
Sex
M 424 (41)
F 600 (59)
Age, y
18–30 43 (4)
31–40 115 (11)
41–50 180 (17)
51–60 317 (31)
61–70 250 (24)
>71 129 (13)
Education
<High school 9 (1)
High school 54 (5)
Some college 193 (19)
College degree 337 (33)
Graduate or professional degree 422 (42)
Knows what rabies is
No 42 (4)
Yes 997 (96)
Concerned about rabies in Flagstaff
No 54 (5)
Slightly 646 (64)
Yes 304 (30)
How severe is rabies?
Mild 35 (4)
Severe 818 (91)
Do not know 44 (5)
Humans get rabies from an infected animal by†
Bite 1,030 (97)
Scratch 772 (73)
Touching 173 (16)
Contact with blood 616 (58)
Contact with saliva 781 (74)
Contact with urine or feces 258 (24)
Contact with spray of infected skunk 141 (13)
Do not know 22 (2)
Animal could be infected with rabies†
Dog 1,040 (98)
Cat 965 (91)
Horse 407 (38)
Livestock 418 (40)
Bat 1023 (97)
Rabbit 691 (65)
Rodent 855 (81)
Wild carnivore 999 (94)
Bird 144 (14)
None of the above 3 (0.2)
Do not know 6 (0.5)
Wild animals that have rabies in Flagstaff†
Bat 546 (52)
Skunk 943 (89)
Fox 772 (73)
Raccoon 305 (29)
Ringtail 113 (11)
Coyote 266 (26)
Mountain lion 164 (16)
No wild animals have rabies 11 (1)
Response to seeing a sick domestic animal†
Nothing 26 (3)
Take the animal to a veterinarian 217 (21)
Call City of Flagstaff Animal Control 844 (80)
Call Coconino County Public Health Services District 480 (45)
Call Game and Fish Department 159 (15)
Trap and relocate yourself 4 (0.3)
Take animal to animal control or humane society 43(4)
Take animal to your house 8 (0.7)
Kill the animal 29 (3)
Do not know 8 (0.7)
Response to seeing a sick wild animal†
Nothing 45 (4)
Take the animal to a veterinarian 7 (0.6)
Call City of Flagstaff Animal Control 785 (74)
Call Coconino County Public Health Services District 608 (57)
Call Game and Fish Department 504 (48)
Trap and relocate yourself 3 (0.2)
Take animal to animal control or humane society 9 (0.8)
Take animal to your house 0
Kill the animal 65 (6)
Do not know 10 (0.9)
Response to being bitten or scratched by a domestic animal†
Nothing 19 (2)
Wash wound with soap and water 740 (70)
Seek medical care at a hospital or clinic 757 (72)
Call City of Flagstaff Animal Control 544 (52)
Call Coconino County Public Health Services District 348 (33)
Call Game and Fish Department 93 (9)
Check animal’s vaccination history 563 (53)
Observe animal to see if it becomes rabid 178 (17)
Have animal tested for rabies 460 (44)
Kill the animal 22 (2)
Do not know 6 (0.6)
Response to being bitten or scratched by a wild animal†
Nothing 2 (0.2)
Wash wound with soap and water 656 (62)
Seek medical care at a hospital or clinic 948 (90)
Call City of Flagstaff Animal Control 546 (52)
Call Coconino County Public Health Services District 521 (49)
Call Game and Fish Department 355 (34)
Check animal’s vaccination history 35 (3)
Observe animal to see if it becomes rabid 70 (7)
Have animal tested for rabies 362 (34)
Kill the animal 68 (6)
Do not know 8 (0.7)
Response to a wild nuisance animal on your property†
Nothing 15 (1)
Call City of Flagstaff Animal Control 769 (73)
Call Coconino County Public Health Services District 439 (41)
Call Game and Fish Department 447 (42)
Call pest control company 105 (10)
Trap and relocate yourself 73 (7)
Kill the animal 49 (5)
Do not know 9 (0.8)
Relocated a wild nuisance animal on your property yourself
No 932 (91)
Yes 95 (9)
If yes, distance away, miles,† n = 91
<1 16 (18)
1–5 32 (35)
6–10 29 (32)
>10 23 (25)
Do not know 2 (2)
Animal relocated,† n = 94
Bat 5 (5)
Skunk 53 (56)
Fox 4 (4)
Raccoon 17 (18)
Ringtail 0
Coyote 1 (1)
Mountain lion 0
Other 41 (44)
Wild animals on property in last 6 mo†
Bat 254 (24)
Skunk 722 (68)
Fox 369 (35)
Sick wild animals on property in last 6 mo
No 966 (94)
Yes 60 (6)
If yes, which animal,† n = 56
Bat 1 (2)
Skunk 21 (38)
Fox 20 (36)
Other 21 (38)
Response to sick wild animal,† n = 53
Nothing 19 (36)
Take the animal to a veterinarian 0
Call City of Flagstaff Animal Control 19 (36)
Call Coconino County Public Health Services District 9 (17)
Call Game and Fish Department 4 (8)
Trap and relocate yourself 1 (2)
Transport to animal control or humane society 1 (2)
Take animal to your house 0 (0)
Kill the animal 2 (4)
Do not know 0 (0)
Saw skunk in Flagstaff in last 6 mo
No 215 (21)
Yes 790 (79)
Saw fox in Flagstaff in last 6 mo
No 498 (50)
Yes 497 (50)
Saw oral rabies vaccination bait around property
No 992 (96)
Yes 13 (1)
Do not know 24 (2)
Saw oral rabies vaccination bait in Flagstaff area
No 950 (94)
Yes 32 (3)
Do not know 31 (3)
If saw a bait, touched or picked up bait, n = 47
No 44 (94)
Yes 0 (0)
Do not know 3 (6)
Aware of current rabies outbreak in Flagstaff
No 106 (10)
Yes 931 (90)
If yes, heard by,† n = 922
TV 249 (27)
Radio 364 (39)
Newspaper/magazine 721 (78)
Family or friend 218 (24)
Notices/flyers on trailhead 341 (37)
Notices/flyers in county offices 67 (7)
Aware of rabies quarantine
No 168 (16)
Yes 866 (84)
If yes, complied with quarantine
No 120 (14)
Yes 712 (82)
The leash policy helps prevent exposures to rabid animals
No 122 (12)
Yes 890 (88)

*The denominator used for each frequency was the total number of responses, from a total of 1,058 surveys, unless otherwise noted.
†Survey question allowed for multiple choices.

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Page created: May 10, 2012
Page updated: May 10, 2012
Page reviewed: May 10, 2012
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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