Rabies

Key Prevention Tips:

• Vaccinate pets and livestock.
• Avoid handling wild animals and animals showing abnormal behavior.
• When traveling, especially to rural areas, be cautious of bats and avoid sleeping in rooms with bats unless the area is screened or sealed.
• Do not attempt to capture wild animals, including bats. Contact wildlife professionals or animal control for assistance.
• Report strays or suspicious animals to local animal control.
• Educate children about avoiding animal bites.
• Prevent bats from entering your living or personal spaces.
• Take caution when doing activities which can lead to contact with wildlife, such as: caving, camping and hunting.

If you may have been exposed to rabies, you should urgently seek medical attention. Medical care following a rabies exposure is called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). PEP includes wound care, human rabies immune globulin (HRIG), and a series of four or five rabies vaccines, which must be given as soon as possible after an exposure. You must get this care to prevent the disease from developing, and it’s nearly 100% effective if you get it promptly after exposure.

Individuals with higher risk of rabies, such as farmers, zoo staff, or veterinarian staff, should receive pre-exposure vaccination. Regardless of rabies vaccination status, it is imperative to immediately clean the wound with soap and water and seek medical care.