Rapid communications Rabies in an Arctic fox on the Svalbard archipelago

• Main Authors: I Ørpetveit, B Ytrehus, T Vikøren, A Mjøs, S Nissen, H Blystad, A Lund (arve. Lund@vetinst. No
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Arctic; Hopen; Norway; Svalbard; Svalbard Archipelago; Arctic Fox; Vulpes lagopus
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.646.5372; http://www.eurosurveillance.org/images/dynamic/EE/V16N07/art19797.pdf

We report a case of rabies in an Arctic fox. In January 2011 a fox attacked dogs belonging to a meteoro-logical station in the Svalbard archipelago, Norway. Rabies virus was detected in the fox’s brain post-mor-tem. The dogs had been vaccinated against rabies and their antibody levels were protective. Post-exposure prophylaxis was administered to staff at the station. Rabies vaccination is recommended for inhabitants and visitors to the Arctic who may be in contact with wild animals. Case of rabies in an Arctic fox On 4 January 2011 an Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) attacked a group of four dogs on the small island of Hopen (76.30 ° N, 25.01 ° E) located in the south-eastern part of the Svalbard archipelago, Norway, in the Arctic.