A spike in rabies cases among animals this summer has led to a rise in human exposures across the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Thursday.In a new health advisory, the CDC urged doctors to be on the lookout for possible exposures and administer vaccines and treatments as needed.The agency also warned the public to avoid contact with wildlife and sick mammals, and to seek medical care if someone is bitten or scratched.The CDC sent the advisory through its Health Alert Network, the primary communication channel the agency uses to disseminate urgent public health information to doctors, hospital networks and health officials.
Rabies is a rare but potentially fatal viral disease that must be treated before symptoms start.It spreads primarily through bites or scratches from an infected animal.
Wildlife such as raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes are the most common carriers in the U.S.The CDC’s warning comes less than two weeks after North Carolina officials announced that three baby goats at a mobile petting zoo had tested positive for rabies, potentially exposing hundreds of people.The state health department launched a search to track down anyone who came into contact with the goats, and said Tuesday that that rabies shots had been recommended for more than 260 people.The petting zoo, Farm Adventures, said the goats were too young for vaccination and had been bitten by a skunk found in their pen.Four goats were euthanized to prevent further spread, it said.
In North Carolina, Franklin County Animal Control sets a trap in an area where a rabid skunk was found last summer.Marina Kopf / NBC News“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 PEP [post-exposure prophylaxis],” the agency said.That post-exposure treatment typically includes a dose of an antibody medication th...