Last weekend, the third fox-bite incident in the span of three was reported in Kehlen. A rather unusual occurrence, given that foxes usually avoid inner towns and direct contact with people in particular. Viral infections, such as rabies or distemper, attack the central nervous system of an organism and can thereby turn animals aggressive. At the moment, it is not known whether the fox responsible for the bites has been caught or whether it is sick.
If the fox really caught distemper, it is likely that the animal has died in the meantime. However, without an autopsy of the carcass, there is no way of telling and no reason to speculate, said Félix Wildschutz, director of the Veterinary Inspection: “The fox may have lost its shyness, but that it really attacks human beings is still highly unusual.”
Was it only one fox? Is it sick, and if so, which sickness does it have? To answer these questions, traps have now been laid in the area. One of the people bitten by the fox has received a preventive shot against rabies. However, there has not been a single confirmed case of rabies since 2001.
If a fox contracts distemper, the virus causes the animal to lurch and become apathetic, but there are also other symptoms: “The animal may also turn aggressive, as with rabies. It can take weeks or months for the sickness to break out, but once symptoms start, the animal usually dies within days.”
The laboratory operated by the Veterinary Inspection has already analysed more than 100 fox carcasses this year. This process is important as they can easily transmit diseases to humans.
There were no positive cases for rabies or trichina, but 30 confirmed ones for fox tapeworms. For a first time, carcasses were also searched for traces of distemper. Out of 50, 30 came back positive, according to the Veterinary Inspection. Despite being rare, distemper can quickly become very problematic.
If people encounter an animal carcass, they should never touch it without gloves. They are advised to inform a forest warden, who will evaluate whether the dead animal has to be analysed.
In short, distemper is not harmful to humans, not as deadly as rabies, but does affect dogs, wolves, bears, and foxes. Dogs have to be vaccinated against distemper. Due to the unusual behaviour of the Kehlen fox, officials are extremely interested in capturing the animal and finally getting an answer.
