How do animals get rabies

What you need to know

Rabies is a fatal but preventable viral disease. It can be spread to people and pets through the bites and scratches of an infected animal.

Rabies primarily affects the central nervous system, leading to severe brain disease and death if medical care is not received before symptoms start.

Rabies vaccine

Immediate medical attention following suspected rabies exposure is critical. Medical care following a rabies exposure is called post-exposure prophylaxis or PEP. PEP includes wound care, a dose of human rabies immune globulin (HRIG), and a series of four or five rabies vaccines, which must be administered as soon as possible after exposure.

This care is vital to prevent the disease from developing. It is nearly 100% effective if administered promptly. Each year, 60,000 Americans receive PEP after a potential rabies exposure.

Can rabies be cured

The disease is rare in humans in the United States, with fewer than 10 deaths reported each year. Still, rabies poses a serious public health threat, because of its high death rate in people. It is also present in many wildlife specie