Human Rabies Exposures Growing Across the Country

It's easy to imagine.

It's the middle of the night.

You've suddenly woken up to the sound of flapping wings.

A bat has made its way into your house.

But do you know what to do next? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued a health advisory for clinicians noting a nationwide increase in human rabies exposure reports.

According to the report, from July through August 2026, the CDC received 17% more rabies-related inquiries than the same period in 2025.

Adam Loring, MD, PhD, head of the Division of Infectious Disease at Michigan Medicine, says, "...rabies is an infection of the brain that is lethal in most mammals, including humans." Loring also shared that recently he had his own nighttime encounter with a bat.

He goes on, quote, infected animals shed virus in their saliva, and it gains entry through breaks in skin or direct contact with mucous membranes.

The virus then gains access to nerves and travels along the nerves toward the brain, end quote.

People are usually exposed to rabies via bites from infected animals such as bats, raccoons, skunks, or unvaccinated pets.

But there isn't any treatment for rabies.

Management is focused on interrupting the virus's ability to infiltrate the nervous system.

Because once it happens, it's too late.

Rabies is, quote, 100% fatal or nearly so if the exposure is not managed appropriately, said Loring.

Quote, if you wake up with a bat in your room, you can't rule out a bite or scratch while you were sleeping, even if you don't see one.

So you should contact the health department and or animal control for trapping, testing or recommendations, says Loring.

The good news is you have some time after animal exposure, says Lorraine Washer, MD, who consulted with Loring following his encounter.

Quote, in most cases, rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, known as PEP, is a medical urgency, not an emergency.

You can normally wait 48 to 72 hours to determine whether an animal is available for testing or observation, end quote.

Unfortunately, you can't always rely on an animal's behavior to tell whether it's infected with rabies.

Quote, specialized testing of the animal in a public health laboratory is typically required to determine if it had rabies, end quote.

But there can be some clues, including daytime activity in a nocturnal animal, or an animal attacking without provocation, says Loring.

So what do you do if you've been bitten by an animal? If you were bitten, wash the wound with soap and water and seek medical care.

Dr. Washer says that depending on the severity and the type of bite, a visit to urgent care or an emergency department may be required for a tetanus shot, and depending on rabies reports in your area, rabies immunoglobulin, and the first dose of the rabies vaccine.

Rabies PEP includes four total visits for vaccine doses.