RABIES Disease of mammals, most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. A majority of rabies cases occur in wild animals like raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes.

Domestic animals are vaccinated for rabies. Less than 10% of rabies cases are in cats, cattle, and dogs

Geographic areas of wild animals commonly infected with rabies.

In the US, people most often get rabies from bats.

In other countries, people most often get rabies from dogs.

It is very rare that anyone ever survives rabies infection. Recovery of a Patient from Clinical Rabies --- Wisconsin, 2004 http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5350a1.htm

Worldwide, 55,000 people die of rabies every year. There are only about 0-2 deaths a year in the US each year.

Animals with rabies my be aggressive and foaming at the mouth

More often, animals will act timid and shy, and appear to be tame

Know the signs! never feed or approach a wild animal be careful of pets that you do not know don´t pet stray dogs or cats if any animal acts strangely, call your local animal control officer for help.

Diagnosis In animals, the brain is examined after death to determine if rabies is present. In humans, many tests must be run; samples of saliva, blood, spinal fluid, and skin biopsies of hair follicles at the nape of the neck.

Symptoms first symptoms flu-like signs — malaise, fever, or headache, which may last for days discomfort at the site of bite within days - brain dysfunction, anxiety, confusion, agitation, delirium, abnormal behavior, hallucinations, and insomnia, death