The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory Thursday in response to recent increases in human exposure to rabid or potentially rabid animals and reports of errors in administering rabies post-exposure treatment.
Since July, multiple U.S. jurisdictions have reported local increases in human rabies exposures involving known rabies vectors or animals in which rabies is less commonly reported, according to the CDC. Several rabies outbreaks and mass exposure events have also been reported.
From July through August, the CDC received 17% more rabies-related inquiries than during the same period in 2025, including reports involving multiple people. At least eight state health departments also reported increased use of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, known as PEP, administration errors or both.
Weekly pharmacy data as of Sept. 2 showed use of the two rabies vaccines licensed in the United States increased by an estimated 33% compared with the same period last year. Use of the two licensed rabies immunoglobulin products increased by an estimated 76%.
The CDC said there is currently no shortage of human rabies vaccine or human rabies immunoglobulin in the United States.
Rabies is a viral disease that is nearly 100% fatal but can be prevented when PEP is properly administered before symptoms begin, according to the CDC. Rabies can spread to humans and other animals through bites, scratches or oral secretions from an infected animal.
The CDC said an estimated 1.4 million people in the United States seek medical care each year following animal contact and undergo an evaluation, while approximately 100,000 receive rabies PEP following a potential exposure.
The agency is urging health departments and clinicians to conduct appropriate risk assessments before administering treatment and to follow recommendations for administering rabies vaccine and human rabies immune globulin.
According to the CDC, a typical course of PEP can cost between $11,000 and $14,000 per person. Errors in assessing rabies risk or administering PEP can result in unnecessary treatment, potential adverse effects and avoidable costs.
The CDC issued several recommendations for the public, including:
- Keep a safe distance from wildlife and do not approach animals that appear injured, sick or dead.
- Keep pets up to date on rabies vaccinations and away from wildlife when possible.
- After contact with wildlife or a sick-acting animal, particularly following a bite or scratch, immediately wash wounds with soap and water, or water alone, for 15 minutes.
- Contact a clinician or public health professional to discuss the exposure and whether rabies-related care may be necessary.
- Tell a doctor what type of animal was involved and whether it appeared to be behaving abnormally.
- If bitten by an animal that is not your pet, ask the owner for proof of current rabies vaccination.
- If it can be done safely, capture or confine the animal and contact local animal control or the health department for assistance.
In some circumstances, and in consultation with a veterinarian, observing an available animal may be an alternative to rabies testing, according to the CDC.
