Rabies

Who is at risk for exposure to rabies virus?

• Any mammal can be infected with rabies virus. 
• Rabies virus is contained in the saliva or brain tissue of a rabid animal. 
• Rabies is spread when the virus is introduced into a bite wound, open cuts in skin, or onto mucous membranes such as the eyes, nose, or mouth. 
• If contact with either of these materials has occurred, the exposure should be evaluated by a healthcare provider to determine if treatment to prevent rabies is necessary. 

Most exposures fall under two categories, bite and non-bite.

Bite Exposure:

• Any penetration of the skin by teeth is a bite exposure. 
• Bites by some animals, such as a bat, can be minor and difficult to detect. 
• The circumstances under which a bite happened are important and help to determine if rabies is a concern from the bite. 

Nonbite exposure:

• The contamination of open wounds, abrasions, or mucous membranes are nonbite exposures. 
• Nonbite exposures rarely cause rabies, but such exposures should be evaluated to determine if rabies treatment is necessary to prevent rabies infection. 
• Rabies virus becomes noninfectious when it dries out or is exposed to sunlight. 
• Contact such as petting or handling an animal, or contact with other body fluids such as blood, urine or feces is not a risk for rabies exposure and treatment to prevent rabies is not necessary.

What are the signs of rabies in a person?

• After an exposure to rabies, the virus must travel from the site of the bite to the brain before symptoms begin. This is called the incubation period, and it can last from a few weeks to months.
• The early symptoms of rabies in people are not specific to rabies and may include fever, headache, general weakness, and discomfort that may include prickling or an itching sensation at the site of a bite. These symptoms may last for days. 
• Over time, symptoms that are more specific to brain dysfunction appear and may include difficulty sleeping, anxiety, confusion, hallucinations, agitation, partial paralysis, difficulty swallowing, and hydrophobia (fear of water). 
• Once symptoms of rabies occur, the disease is nearly always fatal.  Treatment at this stage is typically supportive.
• There have been fewer than 20 reports of human survival from rabies disease, and only a few of those had no previous treatment for rabies. 
• Rabies disease can be prevented however, with prompt treatment following possible exposure to the virus.  

What are the signs of rabies in an animal?

• Any mammal is susceptible to rabies. 
• You cannot tell if an animal has rabies by looking at it, but animals with rabies may behave strangely or in ways you don't expect.
• For these reasons, you should leave wild animals alone, including baby animals.
• Rabies disease in animals is similar to the disease in people. 
• The first symptoms of rabies in animals are not specific to rabies and may include fever, lethargy, vomiting and lack of appetite. 
• Within days, symptoms that are more specific to brain dysfunction appear and may include weakness, difficulty walking, paralysis, seizures, difficulty swallowing/excessive salivation, abnormal behavior and aggression.
• Rabies can be prevented in pets and livestock through vaccination.

How is rabies diagnosed in an animal?

• It is important to quickly and accurately identify rabies in animals that may have exposed a person or an unvaccinated pet.
• Rapid diagnosis is needed to provide for the timely administration of post-exposure treatment. 
• If testing can be performed within a day or two of exposure, it may save a patient from unnecessary medical treatment and the associated financial burden, if the animal is not rabid.
• In animals, rabies is diagnosed by looking for the virus in brain tissue using the direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) test. 
• Brain tissue is required for this test so it can only be performed on animals that have died or been humanely killed. 
• The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Laboratories is the only laboratory in Michigan that can test animals for rabies. 
• Testing of animals in Michigan that have potentially exposed people is performed daily and must be arranged through your local health department.

How is rabies diagnosed in a person?

• In humans, a number of tests are required to diagnose rabies before death has occurred.  No single test is sufficient. Samples of serum, cerebral spinal fluid, saliva, and skin are necessary. 
• Tests to detect virus and antibodies produced by the body against rabies virus are used to make a diagnosis of rabies in a person. 
• Testing of human samples must be coordinated through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and must be approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where the specialized rabies testing is performed.

How is rabies prevented once a person has been potentially exposed?

Wound Care: 

• Bites from animals can be a risk for more than rabies.
• Animal bites can cause serious injury, such as nerve or tendon damage, and the can lead to local and even systemic infections. 
• Wound cleansing is an important infection prevention measure and can markedly reduce the risk for rabies.
• Seek medical attention for any bite wound so that proper treatment can be initiated. 
• You may also need to receive a tetanus booster if you have not been immunized in more than 10 years.

Rabies Postexposure Treatment:

• To prevent rabies in a person that has potentially been exposed to rabies, a series of injections must be initiated and completed. This is called Rabies Postexposure Prophylaxis.
• For people who have never received rabies vaccinations in the past, treatment must include the administration of both rabies antibody (rabies immune globulin, or HRIG) and vaccine. 
• For people who have been previously vaccinated against rabies should receive only rabies vaccine.
• This combination treatment is recommended for both bite and non-bite exposures, regardless of the time that has passed between the exposure and the start of treatment. 
  
  

Current Year Rabies Maps for Michigan 

Rabies Positive Animals in Michigan: 2025 

Previous Year Rabies Maps for Michigan

Rabies Positive Animals in Michigan: 2024

Historic Rabies Maps, 2015-2023 

International Data and Statistics

CDC - Rabies Status: Assessment by Country

CDC - Travelers' Health Page

WHO - Rabies Bulletin