Prof. Scott Weese, a pathobiology professor in U of G’s Ontario Veterinary College, is available for interviews about the risks posed by rabies.
Earlier this month, a young B.C. man died of rabies infection after coming into contact with a bat. The bat left a puncture wound in the man’s hand but he did not seek treatment and died six weeks later.
Weese spoke to CBC Kitchener recently and emphasized the importance of seeing a medical professional after being injured by a wild animal. They might decide to offer preventative treatment for rabies exposure.
“It’s not pleasant getting vaccinated but it’s certainly not that big of a deal and it’s a lot better than rabies,” Weese said.
He also spoke with the Hamilton Spectator about the underreporting of animal bites, noting that “the majority of bites don’t get reported,” but that injuries from wild animals should be treated by a medical professional because of the risk for rabies.
Prof. Weese recently contributed a commentary to Conversation Canada explaining rabies and how to protect against it.
He is the chief of infection control at OVC’s teaching hospital and holds a Canada Research Chair in Zoonotic Diseases. His research interests include antimicrobial resistance, C. difficile in animals, surgical site infection and emerging diseases.