Preventative Services

Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).  Infected mammals can transmit rabies virus to humans and other mammals.  Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.  Fortunately, only a few cases are reported each year in the United States. 

There are several ways to protect yourself, your family, and your pets from rabies: 

• Stay away from all wildlife, no matter how tempting it is to capture them
• Don’t feed, touch or adopt wild animals, stray dogs or cats
• If you see a raccoon, bat, skunk or fox, stay away and keep children away
• Don’t try to separate two fighting animals and wear gloves if you handle your pet after a fight
• Report all animal bites or contact with wild animals to Lewis County Public Health
• Encourage children to immediately tell an adult if they are bitten by an animal
• Try to keep track of the animal that exposed you and report this information so the animal can be captured safely, if possible
• If a bat is found indoors, do not let it go – close all windows and doors
• Bats can usually be captured wearing gloves and a coffee can, and then contact your local health department to have it submitted for rabies testing
• If you, or your pet, are bitten by an animal, immediately wash all wounds thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention
• If you are dealing with a dead wild animal, the animal may be double bagged and kept on ice, until it can be tested – always wear gloves, use a shovel, and clean the area and tools with one part bleach to nine parts water, and keep dead animal in protected area away from people and other animals

Testing of wild animals is available by the USDA Wildlife Services Agency.  This agency will test animals that have not had contact with a person or animal.  If you find a wild animal and feel it should be tested for rabies, call Lewis County Public Health. 

EEE Virus | West Nile | Zika Virus 

Lewis County Public Health is responsible for the timely surveillance, investigation, reporting and control of communicable diseases within the community. Communicable diseases are diseases that are spread from one person to another. Our Communicable Disease Nurse receives notice of all reportable diseases, monitors the community for disease, and provides education to help control and prevent disease.

Lewis County has an increasing rate of newly diagnosed Hepatitis C individuals. There is no vaccine for this disease, but it can be prevented. For more information on prevention of Hepatitis C, call 315-376-5453 and ask to speak with our Communicable Disease Nurse.

Free testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (including chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea) for residents of Lewis County is done at Jefferson County Public Health’s STD clinic in Watertown. They can be reached by calling 315-786-3730.

For more information on communicable diseases visit: https://www.cdc.gov/DiseasesConditions/ or https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/index.htm

To find out how to prevent tick bites, remove ticks, and where ticks live, click here! 

Learn more about Lyme disease here!