CDC Issues Alert on Rise in Rabies Exposures and Treatment Errors

CDC Issues Alert on Rise in Rabies Exposures and Treatment Errors

September 10, 2026

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Health Alert Network advisory on Thursday warning that human exposures to rabies and related treatment errors have increased across the United States.

The advisory, distributed as CDCHAN-00533, notes that from July through August 2026, CDC received 17% more rabies-related inquiries than during the same period in 2025, including reports of mass exposure events involving multiple people. At least eight state health departments reported increased use of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), PEP administration errors, or both.

Widespread Increases Across Multiple States

The CDC advisory documents reports from multiple jurisdictions showing local increases in human rabies exposures. These involve both known rabies vectors—primarily bats, skunks, raccoons, and foxes—and animals where rabies is less commonly reported.

A notable mass exposure event occurred earlier this month in North Carolina, where nearly 300 people may have been exposed to rabies after interacting with baby goats at a mobile petting zoo. Three baby goats tested positive for rabies, while another was presumed infected. In California, a dead bat testing positive for rabies was discovered at a Yosemite National Park campground, though park officials reported no confirmed human contact with the animal.

Treatment Protocol Errors Complicate Response

Alongside rising exposure reports, CDC identified recurring errors in PEP administration. The advisory specifies several common mistakes:

• Failing to infiltrate human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) into and around all identifiable wounds
• Administering HRIG and vaccine in the same syringe or anatomical site
• Forgetting to give HRIG to patients who need it
• Administering HRIG to someone previously vaccinated against rabies
• Misclassifying previous vaccination history or immune status
• Using incorrect rabies vaccine schedules
• Unnecessarily restarting the vaccine series after schedule deviations

PEP is nearly 100% effective when administered properly after exposure but must begin before symptoms appear. Once clinical signs develop, rabies is virtually always fatal.

"Rabies is preventable when people who have been exposed receive appropriate administration of the rabies vaccine before symptoms begin," CDC stated in its accompanying press statement.

The agency notes that people with compromised immune systems may require additional considerations, including completion of a five-dose vaccination series and laboratory testing to confirm adequate immune response.

What to Do After Potential Exposure

CDC offers guidance for those who may have been exposed:

• Wash any bite or scratch immediately with soap and water for at least 15 minutes
• Tell the health care provider or veterinarian the animal species and whether it showed unusual behavior
• Discuss rabies risk and the need for treatment with a health professional
• For non-pet animals, ask owners for proof of up-to-date vaccination
• If safe, confine the animal and contact local animal control

The advisory directs clinicians and public health departments to consult the full HAN Advisory for detailed clinical guidance and treatment recommendations. Additional public resources remain available at cdc.gov/rabies.

Sources: CDC Health Alert Network, September 10, 2026. CDC Statement on Increases in Recent Animal Rabies Activity, September 10, 2026. North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health, September 2026.