Rabies cases are rising in the US, health officials warn – amid concerns that more people could be exposed to the fatal virus.
In a new health advisory, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned there were 17 percent more rabies-related inquiries over the last two months compared to the same period last year.
It said at least eight state health departments had warned of an increased use of rabies shots over the same period or of errors in administering the vaccine that protects someone from a rabies infection.
Health officials said: ‘Several high-profile rabies outbreaks and mass rabies exposure events have highlighted the importance of performing careful rabies risk assessments and following evidence-based recommendations for administering [treatment].’
The warning comes less than two weeks after nearly 260 people in North Carolina were exposed to the virus by three baby goats at a mobile petting zoo.
The zoo’s owners said three baby goats, which were too young to receive the rabies vaccine, had been infected after being bitten by a rabid skunk.
Rabies is nearly 100 percent fatal in humans once the virus starts to cause symptoms.
There is no cure, but doctors can prevent the disease with a series of five lifesaving shots – including two on the same day someone is bitten or scratched by a rabid animal.
The CDC is warning about a rise in rabies cases in the US. Rabies is spread through saliva, which can be transmitted via the bites and scratches of infected animals
To avoid infection, health officials urged the public to avoid contact with wildlife and sick mammals and to seek medical care immediately if bitten or scratched.
It is spread through saliva transmitted through the bites or scratches of infected animals such as dogs and wild raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes.
Anyone can suffer a rabies infection, but those who are outdoor enthusiasts, work with animals or are travelers are at higher risk of suffering from an infection.
More than 6 million people in the US report suffering from animal bites every year and around 100,000 are treated for exposure to the rabies virus.
The CDC says that fewer than 10 people die from rabies in the US annually.
No deaths from rabies have been publicly reported this year.
From 2015 to 2024, 17 human cases of rabies were reported, two of whom caught the virus outside the US.
The agency did not say how many of the patients died from the infection, but most die from the disease once symptoms appear. Only 20 cases of humans surviving rabies have ever been recorded in medical literature globally.
The CDC sent its communication through its Health Alert Network, which the agency uses to send urgent public health information to doctors, hospital networks and health officials in other states.
Advising the public on how to avoid an infection, it said: ‘Keep your distance from wildlife. Never approach animals that appear to be injured, sick, or dead, especially if you see animals during the day who are usually active at night.
‘If you have pets, keep them up to date on rabies vaccines and away from wildlife when possible.
‘If you or your pets have been in contact with any wildlife or sick-acting animals, particularly if you’ve been bitten or scratched… wash any wounds [and] talk to a clinician or public health professional about your risk and if you might need rabies-related care.’
After someone is infected with rabies, the virus must travel to the brain before it can trigger symptoms – a process that typically takes around three to 12 weeks.
For those who are potentially exposed to the virus, doctors immediately treat them using rabies post-exposure prophylaxis.
On the same day as their suspected exposure, patients receive an injection of rabies-fighting antibodies to attack any rabies virus that may be in their body.
They also receive the first of four doses of the rabies vaccine, which triggers immunity to the virus.
The first dose is given on the same day as the suspected exposure, while the others are given three, seven and 14 days after exposure.
The course is highly effective. More than 99 percent of patients who receive it survive.
Rabies is nearly always fatal once symptoms begin. The first warning signs are discomfort, fever, headache and an itching sensation at the site of the bite, which lasts for several days.
Within two weeks, these escalate to insomnia, confusion, agitation, hallucinations, hydrophobia (fear of water) and seizures, before death.
