CDC alerts rise in animal rabies cases and human exposures this summer

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a health alert noting a summer surge in rabies cases across the United States. The agency said inquiries about rabies rose 17% from July through August compared with the same period last year, and at least eight states reported errors or increased use of post-exposure vaccines.

Health officials are urging clinicians to assess anyone bitten or scratched by animals promptly and to administer rabies post-exposure prophylaxis when indicated. The CDC recommends avoiding contact with wild or sick animals, keeping domestic pets up to date on vaccinations, washing any bite or scratch thoroughly with soap and water, and seeking medical care without delay.

The alert follows a North Carolina incident in which three baby goats at a mobile petting zoo tested positive for rabies, leading to recommendations for rabies vaccination for more than 260 people who may have been exposed. Rabies is typically transmitted through bites or scratches from infected wildlife such as bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes and is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, though it is preventable with timely treatment. Hawaii remains the only state without reported rabies cases.