Rabies deserves its reputation as a dreadful, deadly virus. Infection is almost always fatal for humans and animals once symptoms appear. A key aspect of rabies response is raising awareness about rabies prevention and control.
Fortunately, in the U.S., human rabies cases are rare, with only one or two cases a year reported on average. This is no accident. It is the result of a decades-long effort. This effort aims to reduce the amount of rabies found in domestic animals. It also aims to develop a workforce of healthcare professionals trained to help respond to rabies exposure concerns. A key strategy to reducing rabies in domestic animals, like dogs and cats, is having them vaccinated for rabies and keeping those vaccinations up to date. If we protect the animals that have the most contact with from rabies, we protect ourselves.
There are several ways to reduce the likelihood of human illness:
- Vaccinate people and pets
- Report animal bites to local officials
- Seek care from a healthcare provider after a bite
Your provider and local officials will assess the situation to determine if you need rabies vaccinations.
Animal rabies cases, particularly in wildlife, are far more common than human cases. In the U.S., about 4,000 animals per year are laboratory-confirmed as having rabies. About 90% of these are wild animals, particularly raccoons, bats, skunks and foxes. Virginia reports approximately 350 laboratory confirmed animal rabies cases per year. Most human rabies cases in the U.S. are from exposure to bats or being bitten by a dog in a country where rabies in dogs is common.
In addition to keeping pets up to date on rabies vaccines and reporting animal bites, follow these tips to prevent rabies:
- Don’t adopt wildlife or take matters into you own hands when it comes to wild animals. If you see a wild animal that appears ill, injured or orphaned, contact your closest Department of Wildlife Resources office or a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
- Report stray animals to local animal control authorities. Contact animal control or your local health department if your pet is attacked or bitten by a wild animal. Keep pet food inside and keep garbage inside or well-secured outside to avoid attracting stray animals. Keeping your pets on your property can also help decrease the likelihood they will be injured or exposed to rabies.
- Before traveling internationally, check with a healthcare provider to see if rabies vaccinations are recommended. Or check out the CDC Travelers’ Health.
While rabies is nearly 100% fatal, it is also 100% preventable. Follow prevention measures like vaccinating dogs and cats and reporting exposures promptly.