CDC warns of a summer spike in rabies exposures

A spike in rabies cases among animals this summer has led to a rise in human exposures across the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Thursday. In a new health advisory, the CDC urged doctors to be on the lookout for possible exposures and to administer vaccines and treatments as needed. The agency also warned the public to avoid contact with wildlife and sick mammals, and to seek medical care if someone is bitten or scratched. The CDC sent the advisory through its Health Alert Network, the primary communication channel the agency uses to disseminate urgent public health information to doctors, hospital networks and health officials. Rabies is a rare but potentially fatal viral disease that must be treated before symptoms start. It spreads primarily through bites or scratches from an infected animal.