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Rabies Fact Sheet

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Rabies Fact Sheet New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Fact Sheet Division of Public Health Services (i.e., squirrels, rats, mice, chipmunks). Humans can be infected with rabies from both Rabieswild and domestic animals. What is rabies? How can I be exposed to rabies? Rabies is a disease that attacks the central Rabies is generally transmitted from an nervous system (brain and spinal cord) of infected wild or domestic animal by: animals and people. This disease is caused by A bite: any penetration of the skin by a virus and is almost always fatal. In people, the teeth of an infected animal. All bites, symptoms of rabies are rapidly progressive regardless of location, pose a potential and include anxiety, confusion, risk for rabies. hallucinations, and the inability to swallow. Saliva, spinal cord, or brain tissue of an Rabies in humans is rare in the U.S., but infected animal introduced into the eyes, rabies in certain animals, especially wildlife, nose, mouth, or open wounds. is common throughout the country. How can I tell if an animal has rabies? Is rabies common in New Hampshire? Rabid animals usually behave strangely. Rabies in animals has been reported Rabid animals may stagger, appear restless, throughout New Hampshire. It has been be aggressive, appear very friendly, or may identified in both wild and domestic animals. show no signs of the disease at all. People should not touch or feed wild animals or stray How is rabies spread? dogs or cats. The rabies virus is found in the brain, spinal cord, and saliva (spit) of an infected animal What should I do if I see an animal that and is spread when these items touch broken might have rabies? skin, open wounds, or the eyes, mouth, or Contact the local animal control authority in nose. In most cases, rabies is spread by the your community. Observe the animal from a bite of an infected animal; however, there safe distance. Do not touch it or try to capture have been cases where contact (non-bite it. exposures) with the virus led to rabies infection. What should I do if I think I have been exposed to rabies? What kinds of animals spread rabies? If you have been bitten or scratched by an Rabies can affect any mammal (animals with animal or have had contact with the animal’s hair or fur), but is more common in certain saliva, brain, or spinal cord into an open ones, such as skunks, raccoons, foxes, wound or your eyes, nose, or mouth, follow woodchucks, and bats. Cats, dogs, and these steps: livestock can also get and spread rabies if Immediately and thoroughly wash the they do not get or are not up-to-date with exposed area for several minutes. rabies shots to protect them. Rabies is very Wounds and scratches should be washed rare among rabbits, hares, and small rodents with soap and water, and mucous 29 Hazen Drive Concord, NH 03301 603-271-4496 www.dhhs.nh.gov membranes (eyes, nose, mouth) should What should I do if I come in contact be flushed with water. with a bat? Call your local animal control authority If you are bitten or scratched by a bat—or if to aid in capturing the animal for saliva or brain material from a bat gets into confinement and observation or testing. your eyes, nose, mouth, or an open wound— After washing, you should contact your wash the affected area thoroughly and call health care provider. Describe the type your healthcare provider. Whenever possible, of animal causing the exposure, what the bat should be captured and sent to a part of your body was involved, and the laboratory for rabies testing. circumstances of the exposure. If People usually know when a bat has bitten indicated, your healthcare provider may them. However, because bats have small teeth recommend you receive a series of that may not leave obvious marks, there are shots. These shots are very effective in certain situations when you should speak to protecting you from rabies and have few your healthcare provider even in the absence side effects. One of the shots (Human of an obvious bite, including Rabies Immune Globulin) is injected If you awaken and find a bat in your around the site of the exposure to room, provide immediate protection while the See a bat in the room of an unattended rabies vaccine is given in the arm child, or muscle. Shots are no longer given in the See a bat in the room of a mentally stomach. A total of 6 shots (5 shots of impaired or intoxicated person. vaccine and one of Human Rabies People cannot get rabies just from seeing a Immune Globulin) are given over one bat in an attic, in a cave, or at a distance. month. If you have had rabies vaccine in People cannot get rabies from having contact the past, this treatment will vary. To with bat guano (feces), blood, or urine. work best, these shots should be given as soon as possible after the exposure. How can I safely capture a bat in my If the animal has been caught and will home? be tested for rabies, you can usually wait If a bat is present in your home and it is to see if the shots are needed. possible you were exposed to rabies, leave the If your pet has been bitten or scratched bat alone and contact your local animal by an animal, put on gloves before control authority for assistance. If touching your pet. Follow the steps professional help is unavailable, use above for washing the wound. Contact precautions to capture the bat safely, as your veterinarian. described below. Do not release the bat. What you will need: Can I still receive this treatment if I am Leather work gloves (put them on) pregnant? Small box or coffee can Pregnancy is not a reason to avoid rabies Piece of cardboard vaccine or Human Rabies Immune Globulin if Tape you have been exposed to rabies. There are no When the bat lands, approach it slowly, while reports of fetal abnormalities as a result of wearing the gloves, and place the box or rabies shots. Pregnant women should consult coffee can over it. Slide the cardboard under with their healthcare providers. the container to trap the bat inside. Tape the 29 Hazen Drive Concord, NH 03301 603-271-4496 www.dhhs.nh.gov cardboard to the container, and punch small If you have bats in your home, call a holes in the cardboard, allowing the bat to professional about bat-proofing your breathe. Contact your local animal control home. authority to make arrangements for rabies People such as animal control officers, testing. veterinarians, veterinarian assistants, If you see a bat in your home and you are and wildlife workers who are at risk for sure no human or pet exposure has occurred, contact with rabies or potentially rabid confine the bat to a room by closing all doors animals should talk with their healthcare and windows leading out of the room except providers about receiving rabies vaccine those to the outside. The bat will leave. If not, before exposure to the virus. it can be caught, as described, and released outdoors away from people and pets. For specific concerns about rabies, call How can I prevent rabies? the New Hampshire Department of Health Do not touch, feed, or pick up wildlife and Human Services, Bureau of Infectious or stray animals, even if they seem Disease Control at 603-271-4496 or 800- healthy or friendly. If you see an animal 852-3345 x4496, your health care provider, acting strangely, call your local animal or your veterinarian. For further information, refer to the Centers for control authority. Disease Control and Prevention website at Teach children to avoid wildlife and all www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies, the animals they do not know well. DHHS website at www.dhhs.nh.gov, the Vaccinate pets. Vaccination is required New Hampshire State Veterinarian’s Office by law in New Hampshire for dogs, at 603-271-2404, or the New Hampshire cats, and ferrets 3 months of age and Department of Fish & Game at 603-271- older, even if they stay indoors. Make 3421 or www.wildlife.state.nh.us. sure to keep your pet's vaccinations up- to-date. Do not let pets roam free. Keep pets indoors at night. If a pet has been in a fight with another animal, wear waterproof gloves when touching your pet. Call your veterinarian. Keep trash cans closed and stored so as not to attract animals. Feed pets indoors. Observe animals from a distance. There is no such thing as a friendly and safe wild animal. Do not handle sick or injured animals. Cap your chimney with screens and block openings in attics, cellars and porches to keep wild animals out of your home. 29 Hazen Drive Concord, NH 03301 603-271-4496 www.dhhs.nh.gov .
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