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Rabies, an acute infection caused by a virus, poses a threat to all mammals, including humans, pets, and livestock. In North America, the majority of cases, around 90%, occur in wildlife, with raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes being the most common carriers, often referred to as rabies vector species. In Kentucky, raccoons, skunks, and bats serve as the primary vectors for the disease. Rapidly progressing through the central nervous system and brain of infected animals, rabies becomes fatal once visible symtoms occur. The period of infection from symptom onset, known as the incubation period, varies greatly among wildlife species, typically ranging from 2-3 months but potentially extending from 1 week to 1 year.
Collaboration by Ky Dept of Public Health, UKVDL, Breathitt Veterinary Center, KDFWR and USDA
Figure 1. 2023 positive cases (wildlife only). Map from University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostics Laboratory (UK VDL) Animal Disease & Diagnosis Mapping Initiative.
Rabies is found on every continent. Some island nations, such as Japan and the United Kingdom, have completely eradicated rabies. There are multiple strains of the rabies virus that are associated with different species of wildlife who serve as hosts, or carriers, for the disease. Different regions of the US have different variants. As bats are capable of flight, the bat variant of rabies is distributed across the entire United States. In Kentucky, the rabies variants present are the skunk variant and the bat variant. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service National Rabies Management Program focuses primarily on the raccoon variant in the Eastern United States. The goal is to limit the spread of the raccoon variant and prevent its reintroduction into KY. The raccoon variant is a significant public safety issue as this variant is more commonly associated with more human and domestic animal cases due to their peri-domestic tendencies. In 2017, there was a raccoon variant detected in Virginia less than 10 miles from the Kentucky border, which prompted increased surveillance in Kentucky.
Bats, skunks, foxes, and raccoons are native animals to Kentucky and play a key role in ecosystems. However, they can also pass on rabies to other mammals, including people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 90% of reported cases of rabies in the United States occurs in wildlife. Additionally, contact with infected bats is the leading cause of human rabies deaths in the United States. Keeping your distance and your pets away from these animals and other wildlife is a way to protect yourself from rabies and other diseases, while co-existing with wildlife. Vaccinating your pets against rabies is the best way to protect them against potential rabies exposures.
Both wild and domestic animals with rabies can exhibit a wide range of possible symptoms (which can resemble other wildlife diseases, such as canine distemper. These include excessive aggression, agitation, or a lack of fear (especially towards people), incoordination, weakness, a head tilt, difficulty breathing or swallowing, excessive salivation, lethargy, and/or paralysis. Because rabies has a sudden onset and progresses rapidly, animals may still appear to be in good body condition. Rabies can also present with non-aggressive clinical symptoms like head pressing, excessive thirst, or fear of water. These non-aggressive symptoms are more common in livestock.
Rabies is spread through saliva and neural tissue (spinal or brain cord matter). It is not spread through blood, urine, or feces.
Rabies exposure to people and other animals occurs in the following ways:
Rabies can only be diagnosed post-mortem. There is no live test for rabies. Symptoms are used to make a tentative diagnosis and is confirmed by post-mortem testing of the brain tissue in suspected cases. Testing for rabies cannot be performed on a live animal.
Quarantine and observation periods are only recommended for suspected cases in domestic animals. As there are controlled studies that provide reliable data related to acceptable quarantine times for these species. No such quarantine recommendations exist for free-ranging wildlife species due to the variable incubation period. It is recommended that all rabies-suspect wildlife should be euthanized in a manner that preserves the head so that the animal can be tested for rabies.
There is currently no treatment or cure for rabies and cases are typically 100% fatal once visible symptoms appear in wildlife, pets, livestock, and people. However, rabies is preventable through vaccination. This is an effective option for people at risk of exposure (veterinarians, wildlife biologists and rehabilitators, animal control, etc.), pets, and livestock – not for free-ranging wildlife.
The USDA APHIS National Rabies Management Program has the only approved vaccine for use in wildlife. These oral rabies vaccine baits are distributed in targeted locations to control the raccoon variant, specifically in the Eastern United States, and along the border with Mexico in Texas, to prevent the canine rabies variant from moving up from Mexico. These vaccines are only used by government agencies conducting rabies control programs for specific variants in target locations and have been deemed a success.
For more information: National Rabies Program - USDA APHIS
People should seek medical attention and guidance regarding postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) following a rabies exposure. Learn more about PEP.
Rabies is transmissible to all mammals, including people, pets, and livestock. It is 100% fatal if left untreated. Vaccines are available for pets and livestock and should be vaccinated and revaccinated to boost their immunity against this disease regularly.
According to the CDC, bats are the leading cause of rabies deaths in people in the United States. If you have been bitten or scratched by a bat, or if you woke up in a room with a bat, contact your healthcare provider immediately to determine your risk for rabies and to seek appropriate care. Bat bites and scratches are small and can be unnoticeable. It is important to take proactive measures to protect yourself from rabies exposure.
Bats are typically most active at night but do fly around dusk. Sometimes juvenile bats may fly during the day, dwell in and around homes, be found on the ground, or climb instead of fly. This is often normal behavior as they develop into adult bats. However, its important to always remain cautious around bats regardless. If a bat is flying erratically during the middle of the day, acting strange, found on the ground and unable to fly, it may have rabies and should be avoided as a precaution. Report observations of sick or dead bats to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife.
Bats are vital to a healthy environment. Learn how to live safely with bats while increasing your awareness of rabies prevention.
The virus that causes rabies is 100% fatal once symptoms appear and can infect all mammals, posing a significant risk to people, pets, livestock, and wildlife. The following are tips that can protect you, your pets, and others against rabies:
Please contact our Information Center at 1-800-858-1549 or Info.Center@ky.gov if you have any questions not answered below.
If you found an injured animal, contact a permitted wildlife rehabilitator. A licensed rehabilitator can evaluate and treat an animal to release back into a natural habitat. If you have found an injured deer, contact the county's regional biologist.
Rabies is an almost 100% fatal viral disease that affects mammals. Birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians are not affected by this disease.
Yes, rabies is found throughout the U.S. Rabies often originates in wildlife. Animals that carry the rabies virus are known as "vector species." Different regions of the U.S. have different animals that are vector species.
In Kentucky, the animals that carry rabies (known as "vector species") are bats, skunks, raccoons, coyotes, and foxes. Any mammal, including people, can get rabies.
No, not every one of these animals has rabies. They must be infected with the virus to have the disease. Always observe wildlife from afar and give animals space. Additionally, there are other diseases that can look like rabies, which is why it's important to test and confirm whether it's rabies or not.
Not all nocturnal animals active during the day have rabies. Many animals are crepuscular, meaning that they will come out at dusk and dawn and often on overcast days. In spring and early summer, mothers and offspring may be more active during the day in search of food. Sometimes animals become disturbe by people during the day, causing them to be active. Being active during the day does not automatically mean they have rabies. It is important to consider whether they are behaving erratically or abnormally and whethere there are any neurologic symptoms observed.
Rabies is not treatable in wildlife. Once symptoms of rabies appear in an infected animal, the disease is fatal and cannot be treated.
Rabies is spread through saliva. People can get rabies if bitten, scratched, or licked by an infected animal. The virus only needs a tiny wound to infiltrate the skin and infect a person. This means that if a person with a tiny cut on their hand picks up an animal with rabies that has licked its fur, the person may get rabies by touching the saliva present on the fur. People should avoid approaching or touching wildlife to protect themselves from rabies and other diseases that wildlife can carry.
People cannot spread rabies to other people.
Rabies has the highest mortality rate (99.9%) of any disease on earth. Extraordinary measures are taken to save people infected with rabies. Only a handful of people have survived the disease making prevention, testing, and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) so important.
Some animals may not show signs of the disease and may still be infected with rabies. Other times, animals with rabies may look ill, have problems swallowing, excessively drool, act agressively, bite at imaginary objects, appear unusually tame, or may act uncoordinated.
If you, your family, or your pet(s) are exposed, contact your doctor, the local health department, and/or a local animal control officer.
Contact your veterinarian right away for further guidance.
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Cornell Wildlife Health Lab
Rabies Fact Sheet DOWNLOAD
Rabies Prevention Flyer DOWNLOAD
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