Oral Rabies Vaccine (ORV) Program

Since the emergence of raccoon strain rabies in Northeast Ohio in 2004, CCBH has been collaborating with the U.S. Department of Agriculture -Division of Wildlife Services and the Ohio Department of Health to prevent further spread of the disease throughout the state.

In an effort to vaccinate the wild raccoon population, an Oral Rabies Vaccine (ORV) is distributed by CCBH in all communities east of I-77 each year. Nearly all of the baits are distributed by hand, while aerial distribution is utilized in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and many other more rural parts of the State. The distribution of ORV is typically scheduled for the Spring and Fall of each year and takes approximately 7-10 days to complete. 

Enhanced surveillance allows us to test target species for rabies to help in evaluating the success of the ORV program and to make determinations about where future efforts should be made. Animal Control Officers, Police Officers and the general public routinely provide specimens that include raccoons, skunks, foxes and coyotes. These animals were either observed as acting in a strange manner, exhibitng signs of illness, identified as nuisance animals or were found as recent road kills. These specimens are submitted to the USDA for rabies testing.

ORV Program Links

Ohio Department of Health ORV Program Information

CCBH Spring 2011 ORV Program Information

CCBH Fall 2011 ORV Program Information

Contact Information

Joe Lynch, RS, MPH
Program Manager
(216)201-2000 ext 1241
jlynch@ccbh.net

Rick Novickis, RS, MPH
Supervisor
(216)201-2000 ext 1208
rnovickis@ccbh.net